Consequences of Actions
by Bob Regent
Summary: StargateBabylon 5 crossover. A SGC ship fighting the Goauld discovers that they aren't the only enemy Earth has to worry about. Now Completed, Look out for Book two.
1. Chapter 1

Consequences of Actions

Chapter 1

_We're not in Kansas Anymore_

For the last six months the USS Achilles The second of the United States Air force starships- the Prometheus class had been involved in the creation of a Naquada/Trinium mining operation on a habitable planet close to the Star system known simply as Wolf 359 it had taken that long for the newly created Naquadah mining facility to unearth and refine enough of the rare and valuable element to fill her cargo bays.

The expansion of SGC facilities to the other allied counties had put a strain on the resources available to the SGC and her off world bases- the acceleration of the Atlantis Project had depleted those few resources even more. The current stocks were enough to keep the Achilles and the Prometheus active for another year barring crippling combat damage like that the Prometheus took against the forces of Anubis, the fighter squadrons currently active or under construction would take the rest of the earthbound supplies. This had made the search and retrieval of any material assets a priority to the SGC and any allied assets, within the year it was hoped the allied teams would have the stockpiles rebuilt and construction of planetary defence forces would be able to go ahead across the board including the construction of a Prometheus class vessel by each of the Countries included in secrecy surrounding Stargate Command.

The Achilles had been launched only weeks ago and was still under shakedown, the only reason it had been diverted to the new mining facility was due to the temporary shutdown of the Stargate due to necessary maintenance of the systems, it had been decided by the Brass that it would be an easy milk run for the newly commissioned Battlecruiser- one that be beneficial to all parties involved unfortunately it did seem that the fates had a sense of humour when it came to the humans of the Ta'uri.

"Colonel we have completed the loading of the Naquada supplies the airlocks are cycling closed and we'll be ready for take-off in three minutes."

"Good raise the Mining command centre."

"Yes Sir."

"Achilles to Wolfhound come in."

"This is Wolf hound colonel we're reading you."

"We've completed the loading schedule and are ready to depart anything else you need for us to do?"

"Negative Achilles all the requesting info from the colony are in the data packet already downloaded to your Comm. Officer."

"Affirmative Wolfhound keep the Naquada flowing we'll be back."

"Got it Achilles and remember the shopping list." The voice at the other end chuckled.

The commander of the Achilles allowed a slight grin at the joke, the colonists at the facility had put together a 'shopping list' of requests from the SGC, US and UK governments mainly foodstuffs and entertainment but some stuff like basic supplies and equipment for the colony's mining production. The next group of miners and excavators would be able to take them through the gate or if necessary the Starships could take it themselves.

"Will Do Taylor out."

"Ship ready for Departure Sir."

"Good Luck Achilles Wolfhound out."

"Lift off Lt."

"Aye Sir."

The second of the Earth Built starships slowly moved up into the air by way of it's main Anti-gravity VTOL engines slowly it knifed through the earth-like atmosphere of Wolf 359's sole habitable planet and into the dark vacuum of space. The Ship's commander Colonel Joanna Taylor sat back in her command seat held down by the safety straps attached to the chair and watched the main screens as the ship powered it's way from the planet's gravitational pull and out into the inky blackness of the void.

"Orbital Insertion Achieved Sir."

"Good Work Lt, Set course for Earth Space."

"Aye Sir. Course engaged Hyperspace window active in three two one."

The warship disappeared into a hyperspace window accelerating to several time the speed of light for a short jump to it's next drop point, like the other ship in her class the Achilles needed periodic recharge due to the ship's core being fuelled by Naquada and not the Naquadria derivative. Meanwhile the ship's crew were still learning the full capabilities of their vessel with computer based Wargames and on-board maintenance schedules allowing both officers and enlisted to know their ship intimately while many had trained on the Prometheus like all ships the Achilles had her own temperament and technology changes that needed tweaking. Fortunately even with the vessel's distinction of first mass produced variant there had been little wrong with the ship only a few problems with the integrated Asgard technology had been corrected by USAF technicians with the assistance of Stargate Command personnel headed by Colonel Samantha Carter.

The ship dropped out of Hyperspace with a flash of light close to the Alpha Centauri System- close to earth's solar system the system however had little in the way of necessary materials and had been left alone until such time as a Stargate could be transplanted to the local planets. The Achilles main engine's power systems started the full one hour recharge cycle necessary for them to jump the rest of the way back to Earth.

"We're getting a hyperspace window reading?"

"Source?"

"One million Kilometers It's coming through."

With a brief flah the window closed behind the incoming shape of a Pyramid.

"Goa'uld Capital ship, Ha'tak class she's arming weapons."

"Shields now."

The Asgard based deflector shields snapped on seconds ahead of the first hits from the Goa'uld weapons system, the shield shrugged off the few hits that their evasive course didn't stop. The ship's scanners detected flights of Udajeet Death Gliders as they poured out of the ship's monstrous hanger bays, in defence the Earth Warship's antifighter defence guns and missile launchers opened up wiping out entire flights in seconds before the Gliders could pull out. The massed fire was able to cover the launch of the Achilles' eight F-302 fighters from their internal hanger bay, the fighters opened up from range with a spread of Naquada enhanced Sidewinders hitting and destroying most of the fighters that they targeted, then the range had closed and the fighters were at knife range pulses from the Udajeet Mixed it up with projectiles from the sealed air filled magazines of the 302's Vulcan cannons. The speed and agility of the 302s taking the Udajeet by surprise considering their size and bulk- this did not last long as entire ranks of death gliders turned and followed the defenceless tails of the Earth built starfighters firing pulses of energy into the armour of the 302s, the Sheets of human developed Reactive armour ablating the blows and shearing off taking the heat and kinetic energy with them.

Breaking into their turning radius one far smaller than the Jaffa's ships the eight fighters pulled back into the protective radius of the Achilles' CIWS systems and with a sharp one-eighty letting their own missiles join in with the mauling of the remnants of three squadrons of Udjeet. By this point the heavy firepower of the Ha'tak was being brought to bare on the forward shields of the Prometheus Class Battlecruiser, dozens of bolts started their impacts on the forward sections dropping the power output down- in retaliation a dozen heavy Naquada enhanced Missiles impacted on the shields of the Mothership the pyramid shaped vessel crippling the heavy energy barriers with the nuclear explosives incorporated into the missiles.

"Enemy ship's shields are at thirty percent, they are sending out a distress call."

"Try to jam them, Weapons ready another Missile salvo and prepare the main cannon."

The Achilles like her sister ship contained a heavy pulse weapon a gift from the Asgard fleet for the Tau'ri's assistance with the war against their foes- the Replicators, the weapon would only be used by the USAF space based warships and SGC attached personnel much to the displeasure of Former Vice President Kinsey. The weapon was also powered by a secondary Naquadah reactor since the loss of the Naquadriah core and much of the Native Naquadriah on the planet Kolanna, the weapon was still capable of being used but at a much slower rate of fire than the same weapons on the O'Neill and Beliskner Class starships.

A second salvo of Naquadah enhanced missiles impacted on the shields of the Ha'tak, the damaged shields of the ship having turned away for repair meant the impact hit the newer fully powered shields of the hull closest to them. The Smaller warship manouvered away from the massive pyramid ship and emptied it's rear firing Missile launchers at the damaged shield sections of the pyramid also bringing her own undamaged shields to bare against the massive force of the Goa'uld ship's main weapons. The last of the missile crippled the enemy shield generators and impacted the surface of the Ha'tak vessel blowing apart entire sections of the hull.

Without warning a second Pyramid ship appeared out of nowhere using it's crippled sister ship as a shield to block it's intrusion into the system- it's main weapons already armed and hammering into the forward shields of the Achilles.

"Weapons."

"Sir?"

"Full bombardment all tubes on both these ships I want them dead and ready main cannon for firing."

"All missile batteries fired sir."

"Impact in all sides sir the Primary target is gone, secondary forward target knocked several missile out before impact their shields are holding."

"SIR! The interception of that last missile launch damaged our forward shields, They are losing power."

A continuous bombardment from the Ha'tak and the remaining fighters from the now destroyed vessel finally redlined the ventral fore shields of the Achilles and they collapsed blowing out the generators. With the ship now defenceless the impacts of the few weapons the Goa'uld could bring to bare started to damage the hull plating.

"Cannon Status?"

"Ready to Fire."

"FIRE!"

The Asgard developed energy cannon impacted the same shields that the Missiles had struck the multiple pulses burning straight through and into the hull of the Ha'tak Vessel before it was forced to shut down.

"Helm get us the hell out of here."

An impact to the hull lurched the ship straight around by almost ninety degrees burning through the hull and into the inner sections killing those few personnel in them, sensors across the board went crazy as the crew tried to get the ship under control.

"Goa'uld fire in now concentrated on aft shields power is holding. We're accelerating away enemy ships are following enemy fire is dropping off- looks like they are feeding the energy into their engines their coming after us. All Fighters are redocked, one's had it sir she's totalled."

"uh-oh." A voice spoke up from the back of the bridge."

"I Didn't want to hear that Sgt."

"Sir that last hull impact hit one of the lower bays, the bay is sealed but the energy blast has set off the Naquada in that side of the hull the entire load is becoming unstable."

"What does that mean." Asked one of the other technicians

"It means we have to dump it before it reached critical mass and explodes taking us along with it."

"Dammit Clear that Bay and the immediate area have all personnel brought in from the outer sections and ready Bay Three and sections Two and three, beta, delta, and omicron for decompression we'll blow it out." Ordered Taylor.

"Aye sir."

Across the decks of the ship crewmen ran from section that were locked off with Trinium hardened vacuum doors, all outer sections were locked down and sealed, the exceptions being the six section which were ready for decompression.

"All surviving personnel accounted for, we lost seven in the battle Sir."

"Dammit. Ready bay doors."

"Critical mass in one minute ten seconds."

"Open em up decompress the sections."

The Two massive cargo bay doors opened up blowing the entire atmosphere of six ship sections out into the void of space, the heavy partially processed naquada resisted the pull for a few seconds and then acquiesced to the pull of the Atmospheric compression and was hurtled into space directly towards the oncoming ships.

"Hyperspace Generator?"

"Forty minutes from charge."

"Just get us out of here we'll fully charge later."

"Activating Generator."

"DETONATION."

The five tons of naquada detonated sending a massive energy shockwave in all directions the edge hit the destabilising Hyperspace window seconds after the Achilles had already departed the energy imbalance sent a ripple through the Conduit and threw the Achilles out of hyperspace and tumbling through realspace.

The crew of the starship not strapped down were thrown across hallways and decks, store rooms and weapons bays as the ship swung end over end, the ship's thrusters attempting to realign them to an even keel. Slowly the ship stopped it's spinning and settled into coasting motion.

"Damage report.

"Weapons system a-ok. Forward shields are dead Aft shields are recharging"

"Hull Integrity at ninety percent."

"Sublight Engines damaged by working, thrusters a-ok, Hyperspace generator is down."

"Crew Casualties, twelve dead, Six MIA, Forty Injured."

"Long range Sensors Offline, Short range at Sixty percent."

"Communications offline."

"Life support at seventy percent, If we lock down unnecessary quarters or deck sections we should be ok."

"Alright people find out where the hell we are."

"Sensors are offline sir."

"Dammit use stargazing if you have to I want to know where we are. How long until the Hyperspace Generator's online."

"I don't know Sir I'll have to take it apart to see what the damage is."

"Sir Short Range sensors are showing Energy reading- some kind of fights going on out there."

"On screens."

Across the topside of the bridge several TV monitor screens started up showing a battle between two huge ships, one was heavily damaged and seemed to be trying to escape from the other ship and failing, the heavy looking blocky ship fired an impressive amount of weapons fire at the chasing ship few if any shots hitting the much bigger ship. From the larger ship- a bright line seemed to appear emitting from the forward protrusion of the ship's forward and sliced into the hull of the other ship tearing it's engines from it's hull both section exploding from the accumulated damage.

"Sensors?"

"The other ship's coming about sir, I'm reading All kinds of things I've never seen before."

"Weapons defences?"

"No energy Shields sir but thick armour and some kind of fusion weapons I'll try to clear up the picture. Damn she's close to a mile long, she's scanning us."

The ship's viewers gradually pixellated into a much more defined vessel, a massive warship bigger by far than the Ha'tak vessels they had fought beforehand moving almost majestically the ship moved closer and closer

"Activate ECM."

"ECM up sir It's deflecting some of the scans but not all."

"Red Alert arm all weapons Bays."

"Comms?"

"We have short range limited visual/audio only."

"This Is Colonel Joanna Taylor of the United States Air Force Achilles to unknown ship please respond."

"No Response Sir."

"I repeat this is Colonel Joanna Taylor of the USAF Achilles to unknown ship please respond."

"Signal coming through."

"Foolish Humans You are too late to save your other ships and know you shall be next, for the Blood your people have spilt of my people. The Shal'avi of the Wind swords clan will be the last thing you shall set eyes upon. For the Honour of the Minbari."

The crew looked at each other in confusion.

"Was it something we said?" the Xo asked.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Shit Helm turn us around get our aft shields between us and them. Weapons lock on and fire."

"Aye Sir."

"They have some kind of Jamming field trying to block our scans- attempting to adjust our scans to target them, SHIT, we've got an Energy Spike, they're firing."

Twin cutting beams emitted from the front of the massive ship impacting directly on the edge of the Prometheus class ship's hull skimming off the intact rear shields and ablating the ship's armour, cutting deep into the hull blowing through the empty cargo bay and out the other side. The glancing impact threw the ship sideways, the crew were strapped in this time and there were few injuries, within seconds the Achilles had managed to manoeuvre one hundred and eighty degrees round to bring its intact and powered rear shields completely between them and the Minbari ship.

From two separate weapons ports beams of pure energy hammered into the aft shielding of the Achilles, the beams however were not enough to break the already weakened energy barrier separating the two ships. As a response a spread of Missiles were launched at the unknown ship impacting on the thick armoured hull- two of the half dozen missiles were knocked out of space but this close it was inevitable some would get through, the effect was instantaneous the ship was crippled by the massive explosive force of the four Naquada enhanced missiles that were able to hit the ship directly.

"We got them sir, read four good detonations. Enemy ship damaged, weapons seem to be disabled."

"Send another Hail to the hostile, order them to surrender."

"Aye sir sending."

"Get on to all sections I want a damage report as soon as possible!"

"Aye sir."

"Get the ventilation fixed and clear this smoke."

"On it sir."

"No response from the Minbari Sir."

"Sir reports coming in from all over the ship, We've got damage to the fore sections of the ship we've lost contact with several rear deck sections and the empty cargo bay has completely depressurized the entire section's been sliced clean through sir."

"Ok does someone want to explain what happened there."

"Looks like the Goa'uld aren't the only people we've pissed off." The Xo remarked.

"Communications?"

"No response sir."

"Sir I'm reading another energy spike, enemy weapons are now back online, they're firing again."

"Weapons can you get a lock on them."

"Barely sir, We'll be fly by wire."

"Fire."

The crippled Angelfish shaped starship fired their main weapons for the second time finally crippling the remaining shields of the Earth built starship, the beam continued on smashing against the ship's skin and piercing though into the ship's inner hull. The Trinium/Naquada skin unable to hold back the immense power of the Minbari weapons still held the ship in one piece unlike the ships they had seen crippled or destroyed all around the system, the energy burst almost totally hid the second missile launch from the Achilles as they headed straight at the hostile ship, this time the minbari were ready and shot almost all of the missiles down.

However most is not all and two missile impacted on the Minbari ship this time immolating much of the engine fin and the forward weapons system, their weapons destabilised and engines critical the Minbari ship exploded.

"Target destroyed Sir."

"Dammit. Anything more on damage and casualty reports."

"That last blast knocked out most of the onboard communications we'll have to do a section by section, infirmary reports six dead and over a dozen injured and that doesn't count anyone killed in the depressurisation in either of the attacks."

"Keep me informed."

"Aye Sir."

"Engineering, bridge, time to hyperdrive repair."

"Bridge we're looking now but it doesn't look good, we'll need a good three days of repair to get it functioning, same amount of time to shore up the ship's damage."

"Get on it and send a work detail to repair the long range Comm. Systems."

"Aye sir."

"Bridge out."

The Human starship sat alone in the star system the debris of three armed starships floating in the darkness with what seemed to be the debris of a half dozen civilian freighters obviously this 'Minbari' ship had decided to destroy not only the military ships but anything that they found. The fact that this was worse than the Goa'uld had done to some races at least they took some survivors as prisoners or slaves this new race were barbaric to the extreme- much more than the enemies of the Tau'ri.

The only good news was they knew where they were and had much of their primary systems back online after only twenty four hours; the other bad news was that the shields and Hyperdrive would need a drydock for full repairs although the Hyperspace generator would be able to get them back to Earth within a few jumps. The hyperjump had sent them spinning almost fifteen light years away from their course towards Earth with the shockwave accelerating them blowing them out of the conduit, it was imperative they return to Earth with this new information.

"Colonel I'm not receiving any kind of signal from the SGC beacons, or from the Prometheus."

"Are you sure."

"Confirmed Sir, the comm. Systems are in working order but I'm getting nothing on SGC, USAF or Tok'ra frequencies. There's nothing out there."

"Could this new race have got to Earth?"

"Unknown sir but considering that we destroyed that ship relatively quickly, the Prometheus, the Daedalus and the 302's would have put up a hell of a fight I don't know though, we would at least be getting a signal from an offworld base but there's nothing except some kind of increased tachyon emissions from the Sol System and a few smaller system in the area the same as the transmissions we got from that Minbari ship."

"Try contacting Wolfhound station."

"I've tried them sir, Wolfhound, SGC, Norad, Beta Site, hell I tried every Mining site and even the Blasted NID I've received nothing sir."

"Engineering Bridge we need that Hyperdrive as soon as possible."

"We're trying captain if we cut some of the corners we can get it fixed in twenty eight to thirty hours."

"Do It, Bridge out. Helm go to maximum Sublight get us closer to the Sol System. All hands this is the captain, all off duty personnel are to assist with repairs, weapons stations take inventory and reload all tubes and CIWS systems. Bridge out."

"Course to Earth Laid in sir."

"Engage."

The Massive Sublight engines of the Achilles powered up and took the small starship to her top speed within minutes before shutting down and allowing the ship to coast at her maximum supported speed, to keep the engines on would increase the ship's speed incrementally leading to time dilation and damage to the ships supporting members. It was a long way to Earth with the damage they had and without help they could be in for a rough ordeal.

The Days crawled past for the crew of the heavily damaged Achilles, the armament of the starship was fully reloaded and many of the hull sections damaged were sealed up with sheets removed from storage or from internal wall sections, the damage to the ship was minor but needed a full drydock stay to refit. The ship's armour had held well against the Goa'uld ship's weapons and the shields had been a shock to all sides of the two conflicts the Achilles had been involved in, taking damage that would have crippled most known ships and shrugged them off- only the close by Nuclear explosions had been responsible for the crippling of the fore ventral shields the rest of the ship's defences were at optimal effect with all but the damaged shield generators and the slight armour damage on the port side. The damaged and depleted shields had almost burnt out with the attacks from the Minbari weapons when already damaged from excessive weapons fire and close proximity explosions. The depletion of the shield's energy and subsequent shit off was the only thing that had saved them from the completed electrical disruption that had destroyed the forward shields, even with the damage to several sections of the ship and the shields the ship was as ready as it could be for combat the overlapping shields of the Fore dorsal and aft shields coving most oft he hole left by the loss of the fore shields but parts were still exposed to enemy fire, some internal bracing had been reinforced around the damaged sections but nothing could be done until they hit earth orbit.

By the end of the second day the engines had pushed them out into the space between systems but only an infinitesimal distance when compared to the distance they needed to cover to warn Earth about a new threat if it wasn't already too late. The Alpha shift Bridge crew were uncharacteristically quiet during they shift- the knowledge that this new and very hostile race could have already been to earth and destroyed their people was weighing heavily on the minds of all personnel on board. However the mood was soon to dissipate as a hum started to vibrate throughout the ship rising in frequency before levelling off and dropping below human hearing.

"Bridge This Is engineering Hyperspace generator is Online she's ready for a test jump."

"Well done Lt.. Helm lock in course for earth maximum velocity."

"Aye Sir."

For the first time in days hope sprang up in the minds of the Crew of the Earth ship if they could help to save their world then they would if they had to go down they would go down fighting, the damn Goa'uld hadn't made them Bow and they would be damned if some Boneheaded asshole of a race would make them. With a flash of light the Hyperspace window activated and the Achilles moved into light speed closing the window as she did.

Seconds later a wormhole-like vortex opened up just outside the boundaries of the system and three ships identical to the destroyed alien vessel appeared from the end and flew directly into the system itself searching for their sister ship, their scans found the wreckage of the destroyed Warcruiser as well as that of the human ships destroyed in combat- the scans were clear that a massive nuclear explosion had crippled then destroyed their sister ship- and the only race to use them at all in this area of space were the earthlings.

The three Blue Angelfish shaped starships departed soon after retrieving the debris that remained of their brethren- the humans would not go unpunished for this travesty- the ship that did this would pay heavily for their impudence against the warrior caste of the Minbari.

DSR 4

Later that day.

The six Deep Space Rendezvous points had been created by the Earth Alliance military command at Earthdome very early into the Minbari war, it was known by that point that although the Minbari didn't know much about the Earth humans and their space that could change dramatically- for this the beacons for six DSR points were put together for remnants of damaged or destroyed task forces to regroup if necessary. Today the beacon at DSR 4 was home to a group of both crippled and damaged ships- not one of the ships was intact.

The EAS Hyperion led a tattered group of survivors from three task forces to the rendezvous point where a few other ships stood guarding and waiting, three Nova Dreadnaughts, Six Hyperion and Midwinter refit cruisers, four Olympus Corvettes and a single Artemis class Carrier trundled at the pace of their slowest ship- they were met by Task force Galapagos of Five Dreadnaughts and twelve attendant ships including a pair of Cotton class Tenders brought in for this exact reason.

The Small base in the area was nothing more than a large sphere with minimal weapons systems- allowing the base to go unnoticed in most scans, as the ships came in the Cotton class' mobile space dock, extended the massive construction frames from their hulls bringing the ship's length to near 1,600 meters, big enough for the repair and maintenance of even the largest ships of the incoming fleet. Two Hyperion cruisers and the Artemis took up positions inside the Pseudo Dry-dock facility of one docking side by side, the second of the tenders took a Nova and a Hyperion into their Construction arms again side by side allowing a third of all the ships to be refitted enough to make it back to one of the massive fleet docks in the Earth Alliance.

DSR 4 was one of the few safe ports that existed for Earth Alliance ships in the section of the galaxy- hundreds of ships had been wiped out in the first year of the war and slowly but surely the Minbari were pushing their way into Earth space- not even the massive and experience forth fleet- captained by crewed by veterans of the Dilgar conflict and the best of the Earth forces could stand in the way of the Minbari War machine. The news that not one of the Forth Fleets ships had escaped the attack on one of the border system had devastated fleet morale leading to the loss of even more fleet warships. Few outside of the ship's Commanding officers knew the locations of the DSR stations and were rightfully worried as a single starship dropped out of in the middle of the system barely one hundred thousand kilometres from the assembled fleet.

Bridge of the EAS Nautilus

Nova Class Dreadnaught

The Nova class dreadnaught was the De facto flagship of the fragmented fleet at DSR 4 by default of the ship being the only reasonably intact and crewed starship in the fleet, the other dreadnaughts and cruisers had shifted crew to the damaged ship to make up the shortfall in lost crewmen from the latest battles, like all EA starships the Nautilus did not have gravity force to keep it's crew in their seats and like the older Hyperion Class ships the crew were strapped down to hold them in their seats.

"Sir we're getting some kind of energy reading."

"Identify."

"Unknown sir it's not in any of our records, it's powerful whatever it is."

"Minbari?"

"I don't know sir, It's possible."

"Sir something's appeared 247 mark 34, the energy build up's gone she must have been responsible."

"Red alert, all hands General Quarters. Mackenzie to all ships Battle stations."

With the call to arms the available ships out of the thirty in orbit of DSR 4 went on full alert readying weapons and defences on all of their ships, the starfuries on the base and from the launch bays of the defence ships launched in packs to head off any attacks from enemy fighters- for all the good they would do. With over a year of battle and the loss of many good ships and crews the crews of the Earth Alliance warships were under no misconceptions that any of them would come away from this alive especially against one of those damn massive Warships.

The squadrons of starfuries opened up their formations as not to allow any possible attackers to hit too many of them at once, their agility and speed may be impressive but was of little use against the Nial class fighters of the Minbari federation however as the both the fighters and the capital ships moved closer to the new arrival it was obvious that the new ship wasn't Minbari, hell it looked almost like one of theirs.

"Captain scans cannot penetrate new ship's ECM fields."

"Have we got anything?"

"Yes Sir one of the Star Fury pilots has got visual on the ship's outer hull… What the fuck??"

"Dammit out with it man."

"Sir it's ID is in English Says BC 303, USAF , USS Achilles."

"That's impossible."

"That's what it says Sir, a Battlecruiser United States Air force."

"The US Air force had nothing like this before they were incorporated into Earthforce."

"No sir, She's also too small to be a Battlecruiser she's barely the Size of an Orestes Patrol Ship."

"Can you give me anything?."

"A basic size and power output that's it sir."

"Hail them." He turned to his Comms officer. "All languages, Interlac, Hell send in morse code but I want to talk to them."

"Aye sir."

The lumbering ships of the Earth alliance fleet slowed as they approached the damaged warship that had intruded upon the system- an order to two of the Cruisers and a flight of 'furies had had them make a approach either side, weapons hot and if possible using a visual lock. Even as the ships got closer there seemed to be no hostile response from the strange ship no scans, no weapons fire nothing.

Bridge of the Achilles

"Colonel the warships are approaching, we're reading almost thirty ships in the approaching fleet- some are launching fighters, we're receiving a hail."

"Anything on scans."

"Several of the ships are of the same configuration as the ship we saw destroyed by the Minbari cruiser she's heavily armed with some kind of Plasma weapon, a group of smaller ships maybe some kind of escort are also approaching, the fighters are one man ships not much against our defences sir. I'm reading Human life signs on all the ships in-system."

"I guessed that by the design- only humans could build something that butt-ugly and get away with it, this must be the group the Minbari mistook us for. Play the hail."

"This is the Earth Alliance Starship Nautilus to unidentified warship; you are trespassing on Earth Alliance Claimed Territory, power down your weapons and prepare to be boarded."

The collective shock of the Bridge crew of the Achilles was palpable, the fact that there were advanced humans out here was not unprecedented after all they had met other races that were much more advanced than the Tau'ri forces, no the shock was the fact they had Identified themselves as being allied to earth to begin with- unless some race had come to earth and taken them under their wing protecting them not everything was as it seemed.

"Earth Alliance?" Asked the Helmsman

"That's what they said Lt." replied the XO.

"Comms open hailing frequencies."

"Aye Sir."

"This is the United States Air Force Achilles, Colonel Joanna Taylor Commanding, to Earth Alliance Vessel Nautilus- we seem to be at a bit of an impasse here."

"Achilles this is Nautilus, explain your presence in Alliance space."

"We're going home Nautilus."

"Identify your Home Port."

"That is classified information Captain."

"Well My Pulse cannons say you can tell me."

"And my shields say I don't."

The Earth alliance ships listening stopped their movements and many crew started listening in closely- the ship is not only small and capable of blocking their scans and possibly doing more than that- now they claim to be shielded and by the looks of those energy reading have a form of jump drive as well. Who were these people and where did they get this technology from?

"No Earth Ship has Shield technology the Abbai refused to sell or trade for it- your lying, heave to and prepare for boarding."

"Captain You try to take this ship by force and I will open fire on your ships- make no mistake I can will use deadly force if I have to, now I'm asking you Captain to Captain please leave us be and let us return to Earth- the SGC will explain who we are when

we get back."

"I don't take kindly to threats Colonel."

"Neither do I Captain that's why I don't make them."

"Mackenzie to all ships, Lock all weapons."

"Captain." His xo piped up, "The ship has made no overt hostile Actions against our ships, we don't really know who they are."

"XO they come into our space and proceed to flaunt their technology while attempting to circumvent us to get to earth- that makes them enemies in my book."

"Sir You threatened them, they are human, they speak English hell if it's true then they are American and American soldiers at that. Don't do this captain."

"XO Either stand with me or get off My bridge."

"Captain…"

"Security get this traitor off my Bridge, Weapons fire at will."

The Achilles was already moving by the time the order had been sent out by the Commander of the fleet, however no fire came from any of the ships around her- a few stray shots came from the Starfuries spooked by the Achilles' rapid pace of acceleration- much faster than any other Capital Ship, League, Earth, Minbari or otherwise. The USAF Warship ground to a halt several hundred thousand Kilometres from the Assembled fleet- while many scans were still being thrown at them from the ships surrounding the area not one of them were attempting to paint a target.

"Uhhh Nautilus to Achilles Come in."

"This is Achilles, receiving- what happened here?"

"Captain Mackenzie Overstepped his Bounds Ma'am he attempted to fire on your ship against articles of war and established first contact situations. Weapons across the fleet are powering down- we apologize for what happened. The captain and Xo have been taken to sickbay for injuries."

"Thank you…"

"Garibaldi Ma'am Sgt Michael Garibaldi, Commander of the Marine Detachment of the Nautilus.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

DSR4 Command Base

Same Day

The ships of the EA intercept fleet returned to the Command station in the DSR4 System- the Achilles was escorted by the Smaller Olympus class Corvettes as to not be too overwhelmed by the larger Cruisers and dreadnaught. However, even these smaller capital combat ships almost dwarfed the tiny unknown spacecraft. The new ship was an unknown factor to Earthforce and the crews refused to let their first glace at the Achilles colour their perspectives.

'_That's what had gotten the Alliance in the shit with the Minbari in the first place',_ thought Commander Alexander Smith, the Xo of the Nautilus.

"Delta Sierra Four this is Nautilus, we are incoming with new contact. Please note contact is non hostile and we are bringing the ship in for damage repair over."

"Nautilus this is Delta Sierra four, what the hell is it? The long range scans didn't show any kind of jump point?"

"That's a little harder to explain Sierra Four, they are coming in under a flag of truce and with weapons offline. Oh and the Captain has taken a nasty spill he's a little well… Indisposed."

The Xo held his side where the PPG blast had made a near miss. He was only burned but it still hurt like a bastard. As soon as that shot had been fired, the security force on the bridge, as always strapped into their chairs just off the side of the bridge, had powered their rifles and floated into the command section forcing the captain to drop his weapon. The Captain had fired on this Exec as the junior officer attempted to stop the Earthforce ships from opening fire against all tenets of first contact, more so as this was a ship that hadn't made any overtly hostile moves.

The captain hadn't surrendered and three low powered blasts, emitted from each of the guards weapons followed by another one from the XO, slammed into the captain as he tried to blow the Xo's head off. The impact forced the man into his seat and out of consciousness. The XO then ordered all ships to stand down and promptly passed out from the pain of his wound. It may have been glancing but it had affected his body and now had pain shooting down his entire left side. The Senior NCO of the bridge guards had contacted the ship that was coming about to attack and talked them down.

He would have to put Garibaldi in for a medal soon for his adherence to the rules of combat, that man was a good soldier. He followed orders, and not blindly either, but that he knew to be sane and reasonable unlike that which Mackenzie had ordered.

Now the entire force were returning to the DSR point. Spread well out in an encompassing globe, none of them could stop the ship even if they wanted. But it did make the crews feel safer and it also stopped anyone else seeing precisely what was going on until such time as they needed to know. The crew of the new 'Earth' ship was not too concerned knowing that they wanted to know what was going on as much as any of the Alliance ships did. All ships on both sides had weapons offline and on the Achilles' side shields down. However both lots of ships had ECM active in order to stop either side scanning anything they shouldn't

"Understood Nautilus, Admiral Ryan requests the commanders of the task force congregate immediately once all ships are in orbit."

"Sierra Four plans may have to change once we enter orbit, information on the anomaly is not to be sent under normal channels, shuttles from the Nautilus, the Nemesis and another ship will be incoming. Please clear a docking area for use."

"Nautilus this is Ryan, What is going on?"

"As I said sir, it's best not to talk on an open channel."

"We're in the middle of nowhere surrounded by other Earthforce vessels and a heavily armed space station."

"Be that as it is sir, I made the call and am sticking with it. I hope you understand sir but I cannot explain further."

"This better be good Smith. DSR4 out."

"That went well." Smith turned in his chair to the ships tactical officer Hammond Burns. "You've disabled your command and told an Admiral to mind his business. What's your encore going to be, shooting the president?"

"Burns, you ever had to go out and manually realign every forward weapons turret?"

"No."

"Then shut up."

"Why? Oh I see…"

"There we go."

Alexander Smith turned back around in his chair and went about his business in looking after the ship, he technically should have done this from the Captain's chair but the blasts from three low power PPGs had frayed the restraints so he no longer trusted them in case of attack and they were yet to be replaced by the technicians, once they had docked he may be able to do something about it but for now it would have to wait.

He watched as the twelve ships of the task force took places docking to the station or in orbit of the station and the cotton class tenders. Two of the ships that had been attached to the intercept fleet had not been ready for action and were now being towed into place close to the tenders to be docked once space for them was cleared. His own ship was more or less intact since it had been repaired a few days before it was added to the defence fleet. As the last ship coming in he could see the entirety of this station's command and the fleet surrounding it. If the war had been going any other way the sight of over thirty combat ships in a single area would have put the fear of the beyond into whatever race they were fighting, but not the Minbari. The thirty ships and the station would be little more than target practice for the massive alien warships.

"Commander, we're in parking orbit. Hanger deck says that the shuttle is ready for departure."

"Thank you Lt., I leave the ship in your capable hands."

"Aye sir."

The journey to the hanger bay was difficult for anyone travelling from one part of the ship to another in Zero gravity and with an injury it was twice as difficult, even so his departure from the ship was more or less on schedule. He made his flight to the slowly rotating Space station ready to meet the captain of this new ship face to face as it were

The Implications were Immense, whoever these newcomers were their technology was much more in advance than anything seen so far; undetectable jumppoints, energy shields and advanced ECM on a par or more likely above anything that Earthforce has) with anything so far seen by Earthforce.. What's more the ship was covered in markings that were close to two hundred years out of date compared to Earthforce ships.

'How is this Possible?' the Commander though to himself. _'A two hundred year old ship? Some race that picked up our transmissions like the League did, Hell maybe they can tell us who Shot JR..'_

"This is Nautilus Shuttle one to DSR control, we are on final approach."

"We read You Shuttle one be advised Nemesis Shuttle One is already aboard and we have newcomer shuttlecraft on approach."

"Understood request docking instructions."

"Proceed to docking bay twelve and wait inside the shuttle until newcomer shuttle has landed."

"Landed?"

"That's what we've been told Nautilus One."

"Understood DSR control; Shuttle one on approach."

The docking procedure was a smooth and boring as any other, however Smith's mind was still whirling at the possibilities of this new ship and it's tech, if they truly were human and willing to help the war could change practically overnight. Staring out the window he was very much lost in his thoughts that was, until a small spark of light outside the viewport caught his attention. Rapidly the unknown vessel approached the shuttle bays coming in close to the two parked shuttles from the EA ships that had already approached and docked, to their eyes it looked much like a one hundred and fifty year old fighter design, the types used by the 'Western Allies' of Earth. Like the larger ship there was little doubt that it was built by someone approaching starship design the same ways humans did, effective, bulky and heavily armed.

The fighter swung round bringing itself into a shallow landing. Unlike the Starfuries of the Earth alliance this fighter must have been more than capable of atmospheric landings and short take off and landings from deck landing bays, the fighter dropped to the deck smoothly being brought down by the station's half gee artificial gravity. With all the assorted craft landed the bay's massive pressure doors slammed shut allowing the small bay to be completely pressurised. With the entire bay finally habitable, the crews of all three shuttles disembarked, the crews of the EA shuttles ran around their bulky vessels to look at the sleek and agile fighter and were only slightly surprised to see the two dozen armed GroPos pointing their PPG rifles at the fighter, with several of them pointing their weapons directly at the two beings that had removed themselves from the cockpit of the fighter.

If no one believed that these people were human or at least something close to a humanoid appearance then they were very wrong, the two of them were dressed in what could only be described at 20th century fighter pilot uniforms, green/grey jumpsuits, oxygen masks and cranial enclosing crash helmets. The EA officers were not so far advanced that they couldn't recognise copies of uniforms less than two hundred years old.

"Uhh, we come in peace." Said the taller heavily built man. "Take me to your leader."

A slight snicker came from the other officers, taking off her helmet she approached the person who seemed to be the highest ranking officer, that man being Commander Smith. Her movement was slow and easy knowing full well that she was currently under the barrels of a dozen nasty looking energy weapons.

Knowing the way they would be received they had left their standard issue Beretta sidearms in the 302. When they came across those weapons the EA scientists would be surprised, even more so when they find out much of the fighter was based on very early 21st century technology,

"Hello?" Smith said.

The midsized woman proceeded to pull her helmet and mask off and shook her hair loose, her long red hair was platted up but allowed to swing loose in it's braids once they had landed.

"Good Afternoon. As my pilot here said, we do come in peace. I'm Colonel Joanna Taylor, United States Air Force, Commanding officer of the USAF Achilles."

"Commander Alexander Smith, Temporary Commanding officer Earth Alliance Starship Nautilus. To say we're surprised to see you is an understatement."

"It's the same for us Commander, When we left there was no Earth Alliance an we sure as hell didn't have nearly as many ships as we evidently have here."

"I cannot divulge much Colonel so please follow me we need to take you to the Station's infirmary and then we'll talk."

"Ok we'll go with that Commander, I have a lot of questions especially why we were attacked by some huge Angelfish."

Smith started at that and swung round to face the Air Force Colonel, his eyes wide and mouth opening closing.

"Angelfish?"

Taylor looked at the rapidly paling Exec, "Yes some kind of Kilometre long starship shaped like a fish of all things attacked my ship."

"And you survived?"

"Yes took some damage but if we hadn't have already lost our shields in an earlier battle they wouldn't have done much to us, the Minbari I think they called themselves attacked us and we responded with force. We tried to get them to surrender but we had to destroy their ship in the end. Damned Fools."

"You.. You blew their ship out of the sky?"

"Yes we were lucky, any more than two and we would have had trouble." The Earthforce Commander looked as if he could do with a stiff drink and a sit down and no necessarily in that order.

"Colonel Taylor it looks like we have a lot to talk about, lets put it this way Colonel your crew may be the only people capable of helping the Earth and it's people before they are blown out of space."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
'Row, Row, Row Your Boat.'

Stargate Command

NORAD  
24hrs since the loss of Achilles

"Any news Sergeant?"

General O'Neill stood towering Above Sgt Davis as the smaller man brought up the latest SATCOM information from upstairs. And from their off world facilities, a quick look showed the men that no report had come in from the USAF Achilles in the last few hours.

"No Sir, No response, the Achilles is now sixteen hours overdue for radio contact."

"Get me the Daedalus and contact the Tok'ra see if we can get anything out to their last coordinates."

"Aye, Sir."

"Looks like it's time for the Red phone again, now I know why Hammond used the thing so damned often."

"Aye, Sir." Davis responded.

"He's not happy," said Sgt Siler from the other side of the room.

"No he's not. He hates the loss of anyone to the Goa'uld especially now he's in command of the SGC."

"Amen to that."

Later that day:  
DSR Command Station  
DSR 4

"As far as I can tell they are fully human in all aspects. In some of them there are certain abnormalities in their blood, but those could be explained by viruses that they had never been vaccinated against. But everything else checks out," the station's doctor explained to the Commander of the station- Colonel Anastasia Travmakov.

"What's more is according to some of the recordings we have of the two of them, they have intimate knowledge of Earth and of certain 20th century 'Pop culture'. On a whim I asked about that Missing Episode the League want to know about."

"What, that soap episode?"

"Yes and they gave us the answer as well."

"You mean they know? Well, who did it then?"

"Colonel please this isn't the time or place," the doctor piped up. 

"But…"

"Colonel, this is a serious security concern."

"All right, all right, Ill find out later. Is there anything about these two that could constitute a threat to EarthForce security while on the station?" she asked the Marine Major beside her.

"From what I can tell Sir, they have no idea what's going on or where they are. They are by all accounts harmless as far as we can tell, but a pair of guards at all times would not go amiss until such time as we get their stories straightened out. Oh and Sir, we were able to access they fighter we found these on their seats."

The Marine handed over a pair of items both wrapped up in what seemed to be a belt, unwrapping them she pulled out one of the metal objects. "Sir those are Beretta mk92s, they've not been manufactured in over two hundred years. What's more they are well used and completely intact, meaning they are functioning weapons."

"Early 21st century guns that still work and with ammunition, mentions of 20th century culture and a ship that couldn't have been built by anyone that wasn't human or at lest thought like a human."

"That's about the size of it, Sir."

"Doctor, can you tell me without a doubt that these people are human in every way, that this isn't some kind of trick?"

"I've been though every type of test I can think of; even through to a few I created myself, as far as I can tell those two people in there are human and in pretty good shape too."

"Thank you Doctor. Dismissed." With that the Doctor left to return to the Infirmary.

"I don't know about this Angus."

The Scottish Marine merely shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you Ana. Maybe we should listen to them at least let them have their say, then if necessary, contact EarthForce Command and have someone come and get them."

"Looks as if we have a hell of debrief to go through. Major."

"Yes Sir."

Cell 16  
Security Bay  
Same time

The two USAF crewmembers were facing each other across the table, the Commander of the Achilles had decided to lay her feet on the table while leaning against the wall. The Colonel was still deciding exactly what to tell these 'Earth alliance' yahoos, if it was true and they were from Earth somehow then anything they could tell them would be useless.

They knew that the 302 had been opened up and searched; they had left the canopy unlocked precisely so these people could see it. However the electronics and mechanics were in full lockdown, meaning that if anyone attempted to hack the systems or start her up, then the system would go into a five minute countdown to explode. Hopefully giving the Air Force officers enough time to get to them and reset the systems- this was a simple countdown system now in use on ALL SGC based ships to prevent theft by anyone not cleared for them.

"You know they won't believe us don't you?" The larger male pilot said as he lay upon the standard issue cot that made up the room's single bed, spread out and still in his white and black pilot's uniform he didn't look much like a pilot of a starfighter but more like a contestant on a reality TV show.

"About what exactly?" the colonel asked her subordinate.

"About pretty much anything, Colonel we're currently sitting in a massive space station surrounded by the biggest damned ships I've ever seen, those big battlewagons look as big as an Asgard cruiser. Now we arrive with a tiddly ship saying we're from Earth and we've just blown up a ship several dozen times our size- tell me you wouldn't find that a little hard to believe?"

"So what else do we say, we're from another planet from a galaxy far, far away that just looks a lot like Earth? This isn't Star Trek you know."

"You watch that dross, oh and you got the reference wrong that's Star Wars."

"Only every so often. What? You never wanted to see if any of these programs even got close? Never mind I know…but you get the point anyway."

"So what we just tell them we're from Earth hope they believe us and let us go home."

"When you say it that way…"

"Thought so. No prime directive here you know; well as far as I can tell anyway."

"Odds are they already know where we are from anyway, our tags, uniforms and the Berettas in the fighter will all point to who we are and where we're from. I just don't understand what could have happened..."

"Colonel!" The pilot spoke up nodding at the door behind her, turning in her seat she saw the door open and clammed up.

"Good Afternoon. I'm Colonel Anastasia Travmakov, Earth Force Commander of Deep Space Rendezvous Point Four. I apologize for the inconvenience but your arrival has turned a lot of things on their head. Colonel Taylor?"

The striking redhead stood up her medium size making her about the same height as the commander of the station.

"That would be me, Colonel Joanna Taylor USAF, Captain of the USAF Achilles. You are Russian, Colonel?"

"I am."

"I apologize for my wariness Colonel but any information I have is classified and possibly beyond your understanding."

"On the contrary colonel, it seems that we have quite a lot to talk about starting with your ships..."

"I would like to contact my ship first, they might be getting slightly worried about myself and Lt Silverston. We don't want to start an incident that could be construed as offensive."

"Agreed," Hitting her comlink she ordered a signal to be piped down into the security room they were sitting in. "We've managed to link a full visual and audio signal to your ship, the frequencies were difficult to match however it should work. You can go ahead."

The face of the Achilles' Executive Officer popped up on the small screen in the security room, his youthful looking face was pleased to see his commander looking well.

"Achilles this is Taylor."

"Colonel we were about to contact the station and ask for you, otherwise well we'd tell them to 'go somewhere'." Taylor knew that the Achilles had been about ready to attack the surrounding ships and base if they had been given a run around fortunately the EarthForce officers realised that the newcomers were inoffensive and therefore could easily be given Comm. Clearance.

"We're ok. XO, myself and the Lt will be staying a while. We'll contact you when we're ready to leave the station. We're not going anywhere until we find out what's going on."

"Aye Sir." The message had been understood by the Executive Officer, they knew that at this range the ship's main energy weapons didn't need a solid lock on the beam could just sweep across the station if it had too.

"Taylor out."

"Achilles out."

"Ok Colonel, It seems we have much to talk about," the Russian officer spoke up, this was looking to be a very strange debriefing indeed for the women of both United States and EarthForce commands.

Minbari Flagship Drala Fi

The Massive Shargotti warship, the Drala Fi or 'Black star' in Earther language, floated outside the system that had held the battle that had destroyed one of their Warrior caste brethren's mightiest warships. Slightly bigger than the Sharlin class War Cruisers that made up the bulk of their offensive power, the Shargotti ships were rare and massively expensive to produce in both manpower and resources. They were the first in the new classes of warship designed to defend against the rising powers of the galaxy. 

Now however, the ship and its four escorts were searching for an enemy ship, a ship that by all accounts had annihilated a Minbari cruiser, attacking after the Minbari vessel had destroyed many of the Earther's ships in the system. The new vessel had destroyed the Shal'avi and had for all intents and purposes disappeared soon after the battle leaving nothing but a hulk behind.

"How could these primitive vessels have so completely destroyed one of our most powerful ships and leave little to no debris behind?"

"There was significant debris around the system Alyt Sharonn, some civilian shipping and some warships," the aide replied.

"But not enough to point to the number of ships the Earth needs to destroy a Sharlin Class Warcruiser. Only a small number of destroyed vessels were found in the system. The last time any Minbari ship was destroyed the debris field was much larger consisting of many more ships. With debris from their ships was mixed in with the debris of our own leading us to believe that they were rammed. However the recovery of our ship's remains did uncover this."

A display popped up above the heads of the warrior caste Minbari, a small section of an unknown mineral had been found by the Warcruisers that had retrieved the hulk of the Shal'avi.

"This piece of debris is obviously part of a ship possibly armor and hull fragments. Although the sample is metallic in composition most of the base materials in it's construction are unknown to either the Warriors or the Workers. No word has yet come from the religious archives but we doubt they have any idea what it is either. We do know that it is not from any of the Earth ships in the system and is not part of the hull of any known Centauri, Narn or League ship. So far, all attempts at analysis have yielded nothing by more questions."

Satai Coplann of the Grey council approached the meeting of warriors, quietly acknowledging the Warriors around him. Only the best and the bravest of Warriors were granted commissions on the mighty Shargotti Class Warship.

"So we have no idea what destroyed the ship."

"The dark ones?" A voice asked from the side and behind them.

"Entil'zah, It is agreeable to see you again," the ship's Captain responded 

"As it is with you Satai, the destruction of the Shal'avi has become a stain on the honor of the Minbari Warrior caste. If these are the actions of allies of the Dark ones, the Rangers will take revenge on their servants."

"Indeed, that is IF these dark ones are in reality even thinking about returning. One thousand years have passed old friend with no mention indeed no sign of the ancients. It is my opinion that the creatures that destroyed our great ship are not servants of the Dark ones."

"I disagree." A single soft voice came from the rear of the room, a small slight figure appeared dressed in a thick grey robe denoting her position.

"Satai Delenn, I was not aware you had decided to join us in our deliberations."

"Satai Coplann, the Council as you know is in recess I have chosen to see the front lines for myself and not through reports by the warrior caste. I was recently brought aboard by one of our ships."

"This is not a place for members of the religious caste Delenn." Coplann admonished the younger woman.

"Nonetheless here is where I choose to be. Knowledge of the destruction of the Shal'avi has become public knowledge across the federation. We know that no power bar our own can so easily destroy one of our ships. We know that many of the First Ones could also do such damage, but we have not seen anything of them either. It is possible that a servant race of the Shadows have attacked our ships and if that is so we need to find out who and why."

"Delenn the readings taken of the remnants of the hulk indicate the use of some very high yield atomic based explosives. Only the Narn and the Earthers use these weapons in any kind of quantities, however the radiation signature has left behind a strange reading of an unknown element one that could indicate how the ship was destroyed.."

"No earth ship can get that close and not be destroyed. Your own reports indicate that no Earth ships were in the area and no Earther debris was mixed in with the Shal'avi, so what did destroy them?"

"The ancients do not use these types of weapons nor do any of their known servants from the last war." The Anla'shok commander piped up "It is possible that a new race has appeared somewhere and are working with the Earthers or with the Shadows. Analysis of the hull fragment found with the Shal'avi should inform us about this new threat."

"Agreed. For now we should inform all front line ships to be cautious and to inform us about anything that could point to this abomination, and who was behind this coward's attack."

"Indeed- any threat ship capable of destroying our most powerful cruisers will need to be found and destroyed before any more of our ships are destroyed by these unknown vermin."

"The fleet will be informed before the end of the day, those on the front lines are already looking for any information about those that caused the destruction of the Shal'avi, However as of now the majority of our units are concentrating on finding the location of the Earther home systems and something we have found recently may help in that regards."

Once again the main viewer of the room changed its shape and became that of a grid based plan of a star system, one that was obviously inhabited by some race or another.

"After the destruction of the EarthForce third fleet two days ago, one of our stealth scout ships managed to follow the survivors of the fleet to what seems to be their command base in the Romius system."

The new information had come up in the same area that had come up when the information about the unknown debris had been shown to the Satai and the warriors in council inside the control room. The new view was clearer than the last, that of a Human outpost in an otherwise empty system a few dozen light years from their position deep in the occupied areas that had once belonged to the Earth Alliance. The tactical view was that of a spin habitat that was the basis of all Earther defense stations, small defense satellites and a sizable but ineffectual Fleet of warships patrolled insystem. In all, the base and its denizens were targets and nothing more, only a few ships would be needed to destroy this outpost.

"This is the next target for the Blood of Dukhat taskforce, the loss of one of their ships to a ramming attack one standard week ago has led to their demand for retribution. This target has been chosen for them." Coplann said.

"Do we know much about the base or its defenses?" asked the Enti'zah

"It is known to the local warship fleets as a Deep Space Rendezvous Base, it is heavily defended by use of large scale plasma defenses, atomic based minefields, fighter squadrons and a full task force of warships, other warships may be in system that escaped the destruction of fleets and the eradication of those colonies we had already found and sterilized. The five ships of the Blood of Dukhat may be an exaggeration of power but the Council members of the Warrior Caste have agreed to destroy this out of the way post to show the Earther's none of their people are above our retribution."

The view changed to a closer scan of the system. The actual ships were now obviously in guard positions while others were out in the outer reaches of the actual system itself, tugs and repair ships 'tenders' as the humans call them were all assisting the large warships with necessary repairs.

"As you can see these bases are also repair stations for use by damaged vessels. The loss of these stations and the fleet will not only hamper their operations, but will also mean that repairs for their ships will be all but impossible in the surrounding sectors forcing their ships to retreat to other bases. The ships of the task force and their fighters will be more than enough."

"Destroy them," said Delenn

"As you wish, Satai."

The advanced tachyon based communications of the Minbari flagship informed their brethren many light years away that they were authorized to destroy the base immediately. But they were ordered to leave at least on ship alive to relay the loss of their defense post to their leader. Psychological warfare is sometimes a much more efficient tool to their ends that simple destruction of their ships and colonies just doesn't quite reach into their souls as much as this would.

In the silence of the darkness of space the five ships, two capital ships and their three escorts, slipped silently into the miasma that is hyperspace and headed towards the next of their targets, a Deep Space Rendezvous Point.


	5. Chapter 5

DSR Four

Three Days post arrival of USAF Achilles

News of the arrival of the Achilles had spread like Wildfire across the base. While small the ship was now known to be an interstellar craft with heavy armament and new technologies that were unknown to the Earth alliance forces. The ship was damaged; that much was obvious but what was surprising is that the energy signature from the weapons strikes matched that of Minbari fusion beams. The ship had obviously taken on an enemy ship and won the day. No Earth ship had yet survived a one on one encounter with any of the Minbari Warships to date. If this new ship had survived and dare they believe destroyed the Minbari ship, then what else might it be able to do?

In the last few days most of the lightly damaged ships had been repaired and now only a few of the more seriously damaged ships now stood in the larger repair bays belonging to the Cotton Class tenders. However close to the station itself the new arrival was seen to have all kinds of space-suited crew and construction pods looking her over. The commander of the Station had granted the crew a repair bay on the station itself and possible liberty (what they could give of it). However half of the crew was currently using Earthforce suits and pods to check over their ship, the depressurized areas of the ship had been resealed with thick slabs of metal alloys from the station's stocks to allow the ship to be fully re-pressurized and full sets of repairs looked over. Already damaged relays and support systems had been repaired across the ship and the last remaining holes had been plugged. The injured where recuperating nicely thanks to the Earthforce Medbay on the DSR station.  
The debriefing on both sides had lasted well into the third day. Basic information about their commands, their respective levels of technology, status of their home worlds, virtually anything that could explain what exactly was going on and how and why the Achilles was an unknown ship in a strange time and world were discussed and theorized. A literal stranger in a strange land as it were, the last day was now about tactical information culminating in information about both wars being fought by their respective worlds.

The Goa'uld were an unknown to these humans and if this was in fact their Earth and the surround space was the same as their own then the Goa'uld should have been at least mentioned even in classified reports, reports that would mean little now humanity as a whole were in space. There was nothing anywhere; NORAD had been shut down years before and Cheyenne Mountain no longer existed. The officers of the Achilles and Earthforce quickly realized that the knowledge of the Goa'uld was of no real use. At this time however, the information about the Minbari was more than useful to the people of the Achilles.

The crew was shocked at the fact that one accident could lead to such a massive loss of life as the much more advanced Minbari ships ripped apart every ship and station that came within range. More than that was the fact that colonies even those with no defenses were being sterilized from orbit by Minbari ships of the line. Even those with barely a few hundred people in a science station were fair game to the Minbari.

"Well I can see the problems you had with first contact. This Captain Jankowski should not have been given that command by any stretch of the imagination. We've only been in interstellar space for two or three years now and even we wouldn't let that kind of officer have a ship command let alone a fleet command."

"Agreed, but at that time we believed we were invincible to all but a few powers, shows that humans are a egotistical as anyone."

"I assume that some members of Earthforce still believe they can beat the odds."

"Yeah, you've met one."

"The Captain of the Nautilus."

"Yes, but I want to be clear. Not all of us are of the 'shoot once, shoot twice, shoot some more and once everyone's dead try asking a few questions' school of tactics."  
"I'll try to remember that." Taylor grinned at her cohort, sobering she got down to business. "What can you tell us about the Minbari ships, technology level, weapons and defenses, anything about them?"

"The problem is that all our ships are unable to get full scans and even the few ships that have gotten away haven't been able to give us much. Some kind of stealth field covers the ships making it all but impossible to even see the things on sensors, even direct visual scans are useless because by that range all of our ships are shredded. IR, Radar, scanners, everything is disrupted by the Minbari. Worst of all their own scans disrupt our systems to the extent that we're helpless."

"We've seen that, even our sensors are hard pressed to lock on. We also know they use some kind of controlled fusion weapons and crystal armor and that's it, we need to know more before we try going up against them again."

"We believe they are perhaps one thousand years ahead of us in technology and they are making good use of that gap."

"Understood."

"Command to Colonel Travmakov."

Hitting her link she spoke into it. "Go ahead."

"Transmission from the Achilles, Ma'am."

"Put it through." She nodded at the USAF officer before leaving the security office.  
"Colonel." the Xo of the Achilles appeared on the screen of Travmakov's office, "The Achilles is almost at battle readiness should we be needed, the only problem is we have no way to replace the missiles already used in combat we have just less than a full magazine. With these Minbari around we'll need a restock and soon."

"Defenses?"

"Shields are running at ninety two percent of normal, ECM is at full power the damage has been patched and covered over with sheets of Titanium."

"Good. Anything else?"

"No Ma'am. Everything else is fully functional, the 302 returned last night and is fully stocked."

"Good, keep me apprised XO."

"Aye."

"Good Luck, Taylor out."

"Achilles Out."

Walking out to the main section of the security offices Taylor approached her opposite.

"Well Colonel, looks as if things may be changing for us." Taylor said.

"Red Alert! All hands battle stations!"

"Or not," Travmakov replied. Outside the station the ships of the Alliance Fleet broke dock and pulled into formation, from the ships and the station squadrons of Starfuries sped out from their berths and took their positions around the Earth Alliance ships. In the midst of this a small almost insignificant warship launched its own meager fighter group into the void and took p a position close to the front of the Battlegroup. The USAF warship stayed in the sensor shadows of the larger warships, while fully armed they were not yet ready for combat.

"Achilles to Nautilus." The Comms officer started the transmission, "We stand by ready to assist."

"Achilles, Nautilus. I hope your techs as powerful as they say or else this will be a damn short fight."

"Received Nautilus, weapons are hot and defenses to standby."

"Received Achilles, first sign of trouble hit your shields and pick your targets."  
"Roger That. Achilles out."

"Good Hunting Nautilus out."

The Comms officer turned to his boss and relayed the instructions they had been given.

"Weapons officer, unmask all launchers and ready the main weapons."

"Aye sir weapons arming time to intercept six minutes."

"Status on shields."

"Shields are offline, but ready at seventy percent with full power with in twenty seconds."

"Bridge to Engine Room."

"Engine room Aye."

"What's wrong with the shields?"

"The shielding systems are still playing up. We have full power now, but the subsystems are bypassed to the hilt just to get the shields to full power. We're still working on it, if the bypasses don't hold they'll drop to seventy percent. Not much else I can do without a full overhaul of the defensive systems."

"Understood; do your best."

"Always do. Out."

"Captain the formation is opening up; we're to go to the head of the formation. Captain we've been ordered to go in fully shielded."

"What? By who's order?"

"Captain Smith of The Nautilus, he wants to face the Minbari down with a ship that the Minbari have never seen."

"Maybe we can use this to our advantage, acknowledge orders and move up in front of the formation."

"In the front, Sir?"

"Yes, the front Lt."

"Aye, Sir."

The small and fast battlecruiser pushed ahead of the lumbering Earthforce spaceships, while not much better looking the Prometheus Class vessel was faster and much more agile than any of the other ships and their manoeuvre to the position ahead of the main force just enforced that upon both the Humans and the Minbari, the shock of such power coming from a tiny ship caused the Minbari Line ships to pull up and reduce their attack speed down to a relative crawl.

Sensors from all five Minbari ships were now actively scanning the starship in front of them; unlike with the EarthForce ships however these beams were all but blocked by the shields and ECM systems which were now active, the Minbari couldn't scan anything from the ship or a small distance around it.

Blood of Dukhat

The Holographic Command centre of the Minbari ship was fully staffed as the two dozen Minbari currently on duty readied their ship for the now almost routine annihilation of Earther ships and their command post. However for one of the Warriors aboard the Blood of Dukhat this was to be an interesting day in so long as they remained in the Earth claimed system. The 'Blood' was the most powerful of her class in the fleet, the combined skill of all three castes had made her fast and powerful second only to the Drala Fi herself.

"Alyt we have picked up an anomaly in the Earther's battle fleet."   
"Explain."

"A small area directly in front of them is impenetrable to our scans, we thought we picked up some kind of vessel but nothing we know of can be that small and have that much power."

"Continue scans, if it moves from its course destroy it."

"Yes, Alyt."

The two Sharlin warcruisers continued closer to the battle fleet, the three escorts taking position to the side and above the twin Capital Ships, all five of the highly powerful warships increased speed once again bearing down on the Earth fleet.

"Alyt."

"What is it?"

"We have an incoming transmission coming in."

"Ignore it."

"It's coming from the anomaly."

"Really, very well let's find out what the mystery is. Onscreen."

The small area of the holographic chamber faded in and a view of a tall dark haired man looked directly at them, when he spoke it was obviously in English an Earther language that seemed to dominate their worlds.

"This is the United States Air Force Vessel Achilles to incoming Minbari ships, we mean no harm but we will not allow you to willfully butcher the men and women of this command. We wish to parley with your leaders and come to a ceasefire."

"Alyt?"

The Commander of the taskforce looked at the screen somewhat surprised. Most Earthers would have fear in their eyes at the thought of five Minbari ships coming down at them, but this one…

This one had nothing but defiance in his eyes, his ship if that was what the anomaly was too small to be much of a problem to the Sharlin Warships or even the smaller Tinashi War Frigates. A ship that small couldn't even take on a squadron of the Minbari fighters, however with their ability to confuse even Minbari scanners, it somehow could be useful.

"Send two of our fighter Squadrons and One of the escorts to investigate the anomaly, if it's a ship disable it for study. All other vessels destroy the Earth ships."

"At once, Alyt."


	6. Chapter 6

Part Six  
"Where's the kaboom…"

USAF Achilles:

"Sir, a small group has broken off from the main force- we have inbound."

"Composition."

"One escort, slight sensor echo distortion, signal consistent with Earthforce records of Minbari Tinashi Class Escort, plus approximately twenty four smaller signals, possibly Nial Class fighters."

"Red alert! Have the fighters come in from behind. Keep us between them and the Minbari. All weapons to full; railguns to computer targeting,"

"All weapons ready, Sir. The fighters have the same type of sensor sheath device as the other ships however we can get a lock on them. The bigger ships are more difficult to see. Scans of the escort are at eighty percent, the big bastards at sixty percent. We can target them but not much more."

"That's more than enough."

The Air Force warship watched and waited as the blue crystalline vessels pulled closer and closer to them and to the earth fleet.

"Time to weapons range."

"Twenty seconds."

"Open Comms… I repeat we wish you no harm please respond to this communication."

"No response on any band Sir, Neutrino or Radio."

"You sure they can hear us." That was not question.

"Oh I'm sure, Sir. I just don't think they care."

"Weapons, when in range take those ships out."

"Aye, Sir."

"Incoming."

Across the entire ship both heavy railguns and missile launchers locked onto the incoming targets, the crystal/silicon chip targeting systems calculating and recalculating shooting solutions against every ship in range, fighter and capital ship alike. Within seconds the first squadron had passed into weapons range of the small warship, their first strafing run all but useless as their scanners could not lock onto the Air force Battle cruiser. The ship's shields withstood the first attack without a problem the energy blasts from the fighters dissipating against the transparent energy field enveloping the Human warship. Within seconds the next squadron came into range fast and hard making an attempt to eyeball the attack.

They never knew what hit them.

From almost two dozen points across the ship's hull, small projectiles raked the squadrons from all angles, the massively accelerated titanium rounds ripped through the fighters as if their armour wasn't even there. The remaining dozen and a half fighter pilots all but froze as they saw a full half a dozen of their brethren wiped out by the solid rounds. Those few seconds would be their undoing.

In groups and pairs the survivors were ripped from the stars leaving no survivors. After less than a minute six fighters made up what was left of the two fighter squadrons. Those survivors were then pounced by the Eight 302s that had been hiding behind the sensor shadow generated by the ship's shielding.

"Alpha 1 to all Alphas, hit 'em and hit 'em hard."

"Alpha 2 acknowledges."

"Alpha 3, got it."

All seven of the other squadron members were well trained and knew their vessels inside and out. The fast and agile starfighters came in guns blazing. From six of the 302s enhanced Sidewinders left their rails heading into the group of fighters. The Missiles detonated on contact with the skins of the fighters immolating many of the fighters and leaving little debris behind, the survivors were then picked off by the guns of the twin 302s that had swung around and hit from the rear destroying both.

The crew of the Minbari escort were enraged at the almost casual destruction of their escorting fighter squadrons. Driving their engines to full, the nine hundred metre warship came in all weapons blazing heading straight at the Achilles. Neutron blasts and Fusion cannon fire constantly raked the shield perimeter with enough force to rip apart any known ship several times over. The shields seemed to take the fire with barely a waver, the energy weapons not touching the thick armour of the ship it protected.

The sight left both a Minbari and Earth fleets in a state of shock.

"Hit them again, give them everything we've got." The commander of the Minbari escort Hal'avann screamed at his men as the ship came under attack from multiple vectors as a half dozen Naquada missiles and fire from the highly accurate rail guns impacted from all sides. The 302's pulled away and out of range as anti-fighter fire erupted from the much larger warship the fire, missing all of the highly agile fighters. Fusion cannon fired again and again as they tried to hit the earth ship as only three or four salvos managed to hit ( or touch ) the fast manoeuvring USAF warship. More fire impacted from the fighters crippling the ship further.

EA Nautilus

"That's impossible," a voice piped up in the silent bridge of the Nova Class Dreadnaught.

"Commander, did I just see that right?" The newly promoted Captain Smith looked to his Executive officer in shock, who returned the stare.

"That… that ship took a dozen hits that would have carved us up like a roast?"

"Uhh, yeah and the rest."

"Sir, If I could figure out what we just saw I'd win the Nobel Prize."

"How the hell did they do that?"

The scanners of the Earthforce ship had recorded what could only be described as a massacre and for the first time since the war's beginning it was not the Earth fleet being wiped out. The power behind the Achilles must be 9 (or had to be) enormous, more than their limited knowledge of the ship's systems implied. The small ship was just coasting through space allowing the enemy to come to them and wiping them out and from what they had been told this wasn't even close to the Achilles' Alpha strike capability.

"Sir we've got scanner locks on the Tinashi," exclaimed the Sensor officer

"What?"

But apparently the shocks kept on coming.

"The rest of the Minbari Capital ships are inbound, their coming right in at us."

"Ahh hell. All ships pull back we'll see what the Achilles does."

"We've hit them; direct hit on all forward sections, their sensor sheath is down," came news from the Sensor officer.

"Sir they're trying to get off a distress call."

"Let them."

"Aye, Sir."

"Watch for the other Minbari ships and concentrate fire on enemy weapons and engines, disable do not destroy," came the order

"Aye sir, railguns firings, Hi-Ex missiles being loaded."

"Fire when ready."

"Five seconds to missile lock." The weapons officer said

Blood of Dukhat.

The two Sharlin Class Warcruisers glided into their weapons range and started firing at the Human warfleet. While the four ships of the fleet were outnumbered almost eight to one, that number meant little as they knew that the Earther ships couldn't hit or even see them properly. Grim satisfaction was on the Commander's face as his ship eviscerated another Earthforce dreadnaught as the ship tried to close its range. Its sister ship crippling two Hyperion Cruisers while the escorts and fighters cleared the stars of the pesky Earther Starfuries.

"Alyt, we are receiving a distress call from the force sent against the anomaly. Confrmed it's a vessel and the Hal'avann is requesting help immediately."

"Confirm."

"Confirmed. Fighter squadrons have been decimated, the Hal'avann is crippled, and their drives are down."

"Impossible! No ship of the known races has that power."

"Agreed, but this ship is an unknown. We are receiving an updated distress call from the Hal'avann. All fighters have been destroyed and the unknown ship is moving on an intercept course with the rest of our ships."

"Sent both remaining escorts to assist the Hal'avann, do what they have to to destroy that ship. Both warcruisers are to stay stationary until their return but kill anything in range."

"Looks like the call's been answered, the two remaining escorts are coming in full speed, four more fighter squadrons are also inbound, looks like all their fighters, Sir."

"Bring us to an attack bearing, disable that damaged ship and ready all ship to ship weapons. Take them down. Railguns to independent controls, and take out those fighters."

"Aye, Sir."

The last of the non enhanced missiles left the rear launchers of the Achilles and impacted on the Minbari ship's rear half disabling its power plant completely, the Minbari ship's energy profile evaporated and its weapons ceased firing. The frigate now sat dead and drifting in space. The Achilles turned to face the incoming Minbari warships, her eight fighters staying closer to the Achilles to assist with anti-fighter work and to take advantage of the bigger ship's defensive fire and ECM fields.

"Enemy ship closing full intercept course… looks like they've decided not to take us alive."

"Target both ships and densest concentrations of fighters, Naquada missiles to proximity detonation maximum yield."

"Targets acquired twenty seconds to firing range."

"Railguns, weapons dispersal omega, kill any surviving fighters and if possible target and cripple enemy weapons systems."

"Aye, Sir."

"Ten seconds."

"Ready all tubes."

"Tubes ready, one through four are armed."

"Targets in range."

"Fire tubes one and two."

"Missiles away."

The two heavy Naquada enhanced missiles left the tubes and headed towards the incoming fleet, each at a separate tangent, and both were aimed straight at the highest concentration of Minbari signals. The two heavy missiles heading towards the inside of the formation were intercepted by the fighters well ahead of the escorts.

"Fighter Intercept in three...two... one..." The Achilles Tac officer called out."

"Detonate."

The two powerful enhanced tactical nukes detonated in the midst of the Minbari fighters and the tiny reaction was multiplied by one hundred times by the raw naquada ore causing the explosion to propagate outwards with impressive force. The first waves of fighters attempting to destroy the missiles were caught by the nuclear explosion wiping them out, other fighters close on their heels were hit by the blast wave and the powerful and deadly radiation killing their pilots and ripping the hulls apart. The third and forth waves were able to escape the explosive effects with minimal losses, pulling back they returned to the Tinashi frigates.

For the first time the Minbari were getting their butts handed to them by a single small, unknown but immensely powerful ship. The pilots and crew of the Minbari task force were rightly scared by the fact that this new arrival had cut the Minbari force by over a third in just minutes of contact.

Tinashi Frigate Zen'Falli:

"Contact the Task force Commander, notify him that we are pulling away from the engagement to regroup."

"Yes Alyt."

"Damage report."

"EM damage to all external systems, two fusion cannons are down and EMPs are out of action."

"What was that they used against our vessels."

"It was a primitive atomic weapon as used by the lesser races of the galaxy."

"That was no atomic explosion like any I have ever seen."

"There was a secondary radiation signature of some form from the explosion, an unknown mineral or compound may have been responsible for the increase in explosive yield."

"Try to identify it or failing that try to find out anything from the scans taken, if the Humans get hold of quantities of this material they may become more of a threat."

"At once Alyt."

The Alyt of the Minbari escort ship looked back up at the holographic systems that comprised his ship's control room; the view was not heartening as he watched the hole in the scans the unknown ship currently occupied. Whatever that ship had in the way of defences it was holding back the scans of their warships and while their sensor shroud seemed to keep some of the unknown vessel's scans away from them it was obvious that they had some targeting ability, and that was what frightened him the most.

The rest of the diorama was little more than a crippled frigate and the little remaining debris of four completely destroyed fighter squadrons, the loss of life had been tremendous. All the Minbari ships had come to a total standstill hopefully outside of firing range of the new ship.

"Alyt we are receiving a transmission from the unknown ship."

Again the Humans wished to talk, he might allow this as the time gained would give the Minbari forces a chance to regroup and come up with a better strategy, so for the first time in this war a Minbari Captain would talk with a captain of an enemy ship.

"Put it through." The Alyt ordered, looking up he looked at the holographic representation of the Human's communication.

"This Is Major Paul Davis of the United States Air Force vessel Achilles."

"I am Alyt Dev'ann of the Minbari Warship Zen'Falli."

"Finally, I am glad someone decided to talk face to face with us."

"We were not sure of who or what you and your ship were, are you Human?"

"Does that really matter, Alyt?"

"We are at war with the race known as Humanity; we have been given orders not to stop until the cosmos is rid of those who murdered the greatest of us."

"We understand that it was a mistake on the part of one Captain of one ship."

"As do we, however we see that Humans are barbaric and must not be allowed to expand any further, therefore we are to wipe them from the face of history."

"So you're willing to wipe out billions of innocents for the loss of one man, what kind of people are you?"

"We are the Minbari we have strode the stars for a thousand years."

"And that makes you immediately correct in all things?"

"The Humans attacked..."

"The Humans made a mistake they thought your people were going to fire on them."

"Nonetheless, they killed out leader."

"For that they face extinction?"

"Yes, barbarians have no place in the stars."

"And the fact you're killing all these innocents that had nothing to do with the first battle doesn't make you as bad?"

"What makes you think..."

"What gives YOU the right?"

"You Humans are all alike; not willing to take blame for your actions. You are to be removed at all costs."

"Then try it and you'll see what we can really do."

"Hundreds of Human ships have tried to stop us and died. You will fair no better."

"We've heard worse from races much older than you Minbari and we've defeated them time and again. Your arrogance will lead to your race's downfall." The Achilles XO looked directly into the eyes of the Minbari Captain, "We are not from this area of space but we will protect your brothers and sisters out here in the stars with all we have. End transmission."

"Foolish Humans, ready all weapons."

"Alyt the rest of the taskforce is coming through to back us up, Human ships are stationary."

"When the rest of the force arrives, we'll attack the Human Ship from all flanks transmit updated tactical information and a copy of that transmission to the flagship."

"Yes, Alyt"

"The Humans will know their place."

"Agreed, no ship could take all of our ships and survive the encounter."

"No known ship can survive an encounter with one of our heaviest ships yet this 'human' warship seems to just ignore our counterfire. It is unsettling at best"

"Alyt this ship may just be an anomaly I doubt it even belongs to the humans."

"And If it does?"

"Then we destroy it and move on, if they had more we would have seen them by now."

"Agreed and with their destruction the Humans will be more cowed than before, even the most powerful ship they have will fall before us."

USAF Achilles:

"I think you pissed 'em off, Sir."

"I'm not surprised. Ship's status?"

"Weapons are at full, railguns ammo at ninety seven percent, naq missiles are loaded with secondary salvo of non enhanced nukes ready. Main gun ready for firing."

"Shields?"

"Minbari fire had dropped them to seventy four percent, regeneration is continuing, engineering reports some damage to the repaired systems. Shields will top out at seventy six percent until we can get a full dock."

"It'll have to do-engines?"

"Sublight at maximum, Hyperspace Generator ready for immediate use."

"Sir," the sensor officer spoke up, "Scans show those big fish have broken off their advance on the Earthforce ships and are coming in fast."

"Then lets meet them halfway, weapons fire tubes one through four. Kill those escorts and as many fighters as you can."

"Shooting solution ready. Firing missiles."

This time four missiles were fired in the vicinity of the Minbari backed up by a massive and constant stream of railgun fire to keep their heads down, last of all the Achilles and fighter escort came barrelling down at the Minbari from behind the massed weapons fire. Already stricken and scared by the loss of so many fighters the surviving squadrons broke and ran from the incoming fire, giving the Earth-built fighters a good view of their tails as they cracked the ranks with accurate missile and cannon fire. More fighters were caught by the blast wave of a prematurely detonated missile that crippled one Minbari ship's port weapons. Two more missiles were shot down by accurate anti-missile fire from the Tinashi's smaller weapons.

The forth and last missile was dead on target as it slammed into the gravitational defence field around the already crippled Minbari ship, detonating as it did so- the explosive force was immense and all but annihilated the forward two thirds of the Minbari escort in the energy of a small sun. The EMP of the explosion shorted out the rest of the damaged ship's systems sending it out of control just missing its patrol partner and the Achilles' fighters. Railgun fire poured out of the small ship's ports raking the second ship with hundreds of titanium rounds across it's flank.

This close however the Tinashi could unload every weapon in it's disposal at point blank range, visual targeting was acquired and fusion cannons raked across the Earth Warship's starboard flank only to be absorbed or refracted by the shields, The neutron weapons hit microseconds after the fusion cannons had, the energy once again being drained away as the less powerful fusion weapons fire had. Accurate railgun fire turned the weapons point to so much scrap metal destroying the Minbari vessel's combat ability.

"Alyt, systems are going down all over the ship. Weapons are failing."

"Enemy missiles are launching."

He had no choice. "Fire the antimatter cannon hit those missiles."

"Yes, Alyt.."


	7. Chapter 7

EA Nautilus.  
"Sir, Enemy ships are turning away, approaching the Achilles at flank speed," the xo spoke up

"Fleet status."

"We're in a bad way, three Novas are down, six Hyperions destroyed or crippled, and we've lost all but one of the corvettes."

"Shit."

"Fighter casualties at almost seventy percent."

Smith closed his eyes at the report. Even though they had been fighting and losing badly in every engagement of the war to date he had never been on the flagship of one of those fleets. The Nautilus had been the lynchpin of the DSR point's defensive screen since the war's beginning, meaning they had never really been on the frontlines like those many ships that had come and gone from their defence post in the last year.

But even with the numerous reports he had read over that time, nothing could have prepared him for the deaths that had come under his command. Thousands of the human race's best and brightest had been wiped out in mere minutes. But unlike before, these losses had now been reciprocated on their side.

"Captain, Achilles has missiles inbound towards the Minbari escorts." A trio of bright lights exploded one brighter than the others signalling one of the missiles had detonated the way it was supposed to.

"Reading a massive blast, Sir. Minbari fighters and escorts heavily damaged, we can see both of them."

Then a forth Explosion reared up and the sensors showed little left of anything in the area as the Minbari Tinashi exploded, it's engines went critical. Shock rippled through the crews of all the remaining Earthforce ships.

"Get me a reading NOW, I wanna know just how powerful that weapon is." Smith Shouted

"Sir, Tinashi frigate destroyed; most Minbari fighters are destroyed. The Minbari have three operation ships left and little fighter cover."

"Shit! Can we see the Sharlins?"

"Negative. We can see the two damaged Tinashis that's it…we're reading two more missiles from the Achilles."

"Minbari response?"

"None, yet. Missiles will hit in six seconds- Tinashi is firing weapons. Oh, My god!"

"Ensign?"

"Antimatter bolt heading towards the Missiles."

"Tell the Achilles to get out of there NOW."

USAF Achilles:

"Missile on route- Minbari weapons and defences are down."

"Confirm guidance lock."

"Confirmed, they will hit in six seconds."

"Sir, Minbari ship is firing weapon. It's some kind of charged particle bolt."

"Any idea…"

"EA sensors records online, they show… it's an Antimatter pulse, Sir, they've targeting the missiles sir."

"Fuck, get us out of here, any vector."

Blood Of Dukat:

"Shai Alyt the Tinashi has fired their antimatter cannon."

"What?"

"They've tried to target the enemy missiles."

"Get us out of here immediately, if those things impact..."

"Weapons intercept in six seconds…"

"Too close, far too close," the first officer said

A single voice whispered over the sudden silence of the bridge, "Entil'za Veni. In Valen's name."

Those on the edge of the battle tried to escape the oncoming exchange of fire, but for the ships in that area of the star system this was too little, far too late.

It was theorised that the mutual annihilation of matter and antimatter would cause an explosion that few nuclear weapons could reach, three kilograms of each could reach an explosive potential of sixty megatons, something that only a handful of the world's biggest nukes could reach.

This collision of matter and antimatter was over one hundred times the size. Tthe combination of three hundred kilograms of matter from the two missiles and three hundred of antimatter from the Minbari ship lit up the entire area with a multiple gigaton explosive effect. This would have left the four remaining Minbari ships destroyed or heavily damaged by the blast wave and the explosive energy of the mutual annihilation, while the stronger Asgard based shields and trinium-based armour of the human built ship would have been able to ride out the wave with some damage.

That was not the case; even with the incredible agility and acceleration of all the ships in combat, they would never be able to fully escape from the blast wave that eventually hit them. The warheads of the USAF warship's missiles were enriched by a substantial amount of Naquada. This rare material was able to enhance the explosive potential by close to one hundred times. This material did just that as the two weapons, human and Minbari hit each other magnifying the stroke by one hundred times.

A small forty-megaton warhead that would have destroyed the Minbari ship was instead magnified into a massive blast that blinded the sensors of any ship within the sector and annihilated everything in its path. Six and a half TERATONS of force swept in all direction. All four remaining Minbari warships and their were caught up in the explosion both frigates and the closest of the cruisers were annihilated by the blast, leaving nothing by stay atoms behind. The two remaining ship one Minbari Man-o-war and one Human battlecruiser were thrown clear into uncontrolled spins away from the battle.

On board the Achilles the crew were thrown about as the shockwave started them tumbling over and over, shields burst and the rear hull was ripped apart in all areas. An entire section sheared off by the impact and sent into the depths of space killing over two dozen crewmen.

Inside was worse, every system shorted out and the main generators spiked, causing them to shutdown automatically. More of the crew were hurt and several more killed by the ship's uncontrolled tumble into space. Only emergency life support and basic electronics were still working. The ship's artificial gravity had cut out completely leaving the g-forces of the spin to work against the crew pinning them into place.

The Minbari ship was even worse off than the human ship. The internals were a mess with the crew almost all killed outright by the impact. Unlike all earth-built ships from either time they were not held in by safety webbing or even sitting down, but Minbari crewmen were standing and those sitting or laying were not secured.

That said, only a few dozen out of almost six hundred crew were still alive by this time, mostly in the rear compartments or more heavily fortified sections in the very bowels of the Minbari ship. Only a very few systems were even in usable order. The reactor containment systems and the emergency life support systems were still online being fed from emergency power. Also unlike the Achilles, Sharlin's gravity was still online and while it didn't save many of the crew the remaining living beings aboard were shill capable of movement in Minbar-normal gravity.

"In Valen's name. What was that?" The chief engineer called out. There was no response to his calls. Looking around he could see little more than debris and the littered bodies of his engineering crew, bloody and broken limbs. Bodies and torsos lent a feeling of an abattoir to the formerly pristine surroundings.  
The Chief engineer made his way through the debris of his ship trying to find out what kind of damage his ship had taken, unable to interface with the computer meant that he could not find much of what he needed to.

"Ship's Status."

The engineer looked around to see a junior ranking Bridge officer limping towards him, the youth was in a bad way but did not let his obvious pain show more than he had to, this young warrior was to be commended.

"What happened?"

"The so called human ship's missile fire was intercepted by an antimatter attack from one of the escorts, the resulting explosion destroyed the rest of the task force, the Shai Alyt and the entire command crew were killed then the explosion pierced the hull and crippled the ship."

"How did a human weapon manage to do so much damage to the ship?"

"I don't know, I really don't know. How much of the ship is left?"

Attempting once more to access the ship's main computer, the engineer still had problems bringing up anything more than the basics. The only way that could have happened is if the main computer core itself was no longer attached to the ship's data retrieval systems. That was all but impossible unless…"

"How close were we to the explosion?"

"Not close enough to be destroyed, but we were caught by the blast wave and some of the thermal damage."

"I'm not getting anything from the computer core or any of the main command back-ups."

"How's that possible?"

"It shouldn't be, I'll try to get tertiary systems in the lower hull up. We have containment and basic life support so it should still be operational. Oh by Valen's Name."

The true problems they were facing was now more then evident as they took in the damage and carnage the weapons strike had cased to their vessel, the shock and fear had left them numb, the horror not quite filtering through just yet.

The computer finally brought up what he needed. It was not a pretty sight. While the ship was still spinning through space the ship's gravity was holding them in place while somewhere in the ship someone was using the emergency systems in an attempt to use their limited remaining drive power to right their spin.

However that was not the worst news, the explosion had destroyed much of the forward sections of the ship as well as the fins that were characteristic of Minbari designs. That one explosion had reduced the ship's mass and capability to less than one quarter.

"We've got other survivors on board, but I have no idea when or where we'll end up or even if I can get this ship running again."

"We better start then," the younger officer said.

EA Nautilus

"Captain, sensors are back online," the ship's Xo said.

"What the hell was that? That as no damned matter/antimatter reaction."

"It looks as if the antimatter explosion was enhanced by whatever was in the warheads of the missiles, the explosion maxed out our sensors and blew some of the sensor clusters."

"What was the energy count?"

The XO brought up the information gathered by the ship's computers as the fight went on. The last few seconds of the fight between the Minbari and the Achilles was brought up and analysed. Within a few minutes the computers had managed to give and approximate reading to the Earthforce crew.

"Ok. that can't be right."

"Well?"

"Sir the maximum explosive force we should have reached was maybe a few hundred megatons."

"I'm aware of that Commander." Smith was getting annoyed.

"Sir, the explosion read at almost Six and a half…" The XO almost choked.

"What six and a half what?"

"Six and a half teratons Sir."

"Check that again Commander."

"Aye Sir."

"Nothing we've seen including the Minbari could do something like this."

"Confirmed sir Six plus teratons of explosive force at point of impact between both weapons."

"Copy the information to a removable memory module and wipe the ship's computer, Earthdome need to hear about this."

USAF Achilles:

"FUCKING HELL!" A voice shouted from behind Major Davis as the ship was send hurtling into space.

The small warship was tossed side by the shockwave much harder than the much larger Minbari starship, however the shields and armour of the Earth-built ship was much stronger than the thick crystalline armour of the Minbari. The damage to the Earthship however was extensive with almost a quarter of the remaining crew killed by the explosion. However much of the ship's main systems while offline were not seriously compromised by the shockwave. Instead of exploding panels and overloading systems much as one would see on science fiction television programs, the construction of the Achilles used circuit breakers and large fuses to protect their systems.

The ship's life support and artificial gravity reengaged as the Achilles came back under control as the human designed thrusters started automatically firing to bring themselves under an even keel.

"Damage Report."

"Dammit, systems are down all over the ship, Sir. We won't be able to get anything until the breakers are reset and the system backups brought online."

"Anything working?"

"Life support, short range scans and Railguns Sir. They were all attached to a secondary system that came online after the explosion."

"Send a runner down to engineering, we need internal comms and long range scanners as soon as possible."

"Aye. Sir."

"What about the fighters?"

"Four of the fighters were redocked for reaming Sir, the remaining two were flying CAP. They had no chance, Sir."

"Damn, thank you Lt."

"Aye, Sir."

"Engineering to bridge."

"That was quick." The Lt said. "Musta had the same ideas we did."

"Bridge here, Good to hear from you."

"Yes, Sir. Thought comms might be a good idea for damage control."

"What's the damage chief?"

"Don't know Sir. All the system breakers cut in we're checking the basic systems and bringing them up one at a time."

"How long?"

"I'll get back to you on that, Sir."

"Got it. Bridge out."


	8. Interlude

Interlude

The disappearance of the Achilles during what was basically a simple milk run for the newly commissioned warship had worried the command staffs of both the USAF Space Division and their compatriots with the SGC. Constant attempts at communication was attempted by both commands to no avail. Even now any and all allied ships that could be spared participated in the search and rescue operation.

From the few Jaffa crewed allied Ha'tak's, to the Tokra and Jaffa cargo ships and last but by no means the least the prototype ship, the Prometheus herself was prepping for departure to find the lost warship. Her hypercapable fighters would be of immense use with the long-range search patterns. They had two weeks to find her, then the ships would need to return to their safe harbours.

On board the Prometheus the ship started to close down its airlocks and ready themselves for departure.

"Prometheus to Command. We are secured and ready for lift off."

"This is Norad Command. You are a go for lift-off Prometheus. Good luck and bring them home."

"We'll try Command. Prometheus out."

In one of three drydocks in the middle of the Nevada desert two large retracting doors pulled apart letting the bright sunlight filter into the internal structure illuminating both the bay and the warship standing inside it.

"All Sections, ready for Lift off."

"By the numbers," Colonel Reynolds said.

"Helm Go."

"Tactical Go."

"Sensors Go."

"Engineering Go."

"EVA Go."

"Medical Go."

"Communications Go."

"Command Go."

The checklist complete the small ship rose from its bay into the midday sun and powered its way through the atmosphere and out into the depths of space. Within a few seconds the ship entered its hyperspace Window looking for their lost sister ship and ready to kick the hell out of anyone that may have hurt their brethren.

USAF Achilles:  
Engineering Deck  
Four Hours after the Battle of DSR4

The Achilles had finally managed to stop their tumble into space and halted their movement totally. The ship was in a bad way with obvious scorch marks showing signs of a tough battle. The most obvious being the missing hull sections of the rear hull, which was blackened, and brittle looking. It seemed fortunate the explosion had not reached the massive engines in the rear of the ship.

The deck was swarming with engineers and damage control teams each trying not to fall over each other. The casualties and injuries to the crew had been extensive while the ship's main systems had taken a good beating when they had been hit by the shockwave. Fortunately the backwards-engineered systems and upgrades by their friends the Asgard had made all the redesigned Prometheus class vessels formidable warships.

The human penchant for redundancy after redundancy and a little too much television for some designers, had also made her a safe vessel to work on as well. The crew's safety systems were as simple as crash webbing and seatbelts on all chairs and bunks while the systems were triple redundant and were proofed against shocks and electrical explosion thanks to some basic electrical know how- the use of fuses and power breakers, same as a typical household or aircraft had.

These easily installed systems had saved many crew that were at their station when the shockwave pounded the ship, the incident with Major Carter and an unknown alien race had shown that these kinds of ideas had merit and the refits had been incorporated into the original Prometheus and the two mainline Battlecruisers the Daedalus and the Achilles.

"Chief." Chief Petty Officer Harris stood up from his position under one of the engineering consoles. He tried to run yet another program through the toasted system but came away with nothing.

"What's up, Thompson?"

"You might want to have a look at this."

"What is it? I'm busy."

"I'm not sure, but it looks like the Asgard beam weapon's out of action."

"What?" That should have been impossible as the Beam weapon was shielded and armoured better than some sections of the hull, the Asgard weapon was the most powerful ship based weapon that they had and while it could only be used in some circumstances it was still a formidable weapon by any stretch of the imagination.

Or it least it had been up until today. The engineer was right; a stray piece of shrapnel had made it's way into the emitters from outside, some of the Trinium/Naquada hull material of the Achilles herself, it had sliced into the delicate internals and knocked the weapon offline.

"Dammit." He walked over to the ship's intercom. "Engine room to bridge."

"Bridge," came the Voice of Lt Daniels the second shift commander.

"Where's the Major?"

"He's in sickbay. They needed all the help they could get and he made his way down there. Do you have a report Chief?"

"Yes Sir, most of the downed systems should be up in the next three hours. We just need to rest the breakers and check the fuse blocks on each deck. However the hyperdrive is down and we may not be able to repair it, we've lost a third of the point defence railguns and the port aft missile launchers…"

"Shit, anything else."

"Yes Sir. The Asgard weapons kaput, we'll need a drydock to even attempt a repair, same goes for all the external weapons and the hyperdrive."

"Oh man, what about communications?"

"That's the bright side, long range sensors and short range communication will be repaired by the time the breakers are cut back in."

"What about defences?"

"We're still looking those over, the ECM generators seem to be okay and the outer armour is intact over most of the hull."

"Shields?"

"Forward shields are completely dead the original repairs to the emitters and the generators were completely destroyed in the battle. As for the aft shields, we've got damage to both the emitters and the generators, it's not as bad as the forward equipment. However we can only get up to forty percent, fifty perhaps but no more until we can rewire them."

"Dead in the water and defences are screwed. I'll inform the Major chief, good luck."

"Thanks, Engineering out."

"Chief?"

"Yes Thompson." The younger man was one of the best engineers that he had ever served with and would go far but right now he didn't want to face the man's Gerbil-Faced optimism.

"News from the rearside damage teams, we've got a damaged missile down there."

"What, how bad?"

"It's not active or ticking down or anything but it's fused to the remains of the launcher, they need someone to check if the launcher can be repaired and the missile removed or do the cut the launcher out and seal the breach completely."

"Tell them to rip it out and seal up, we've not the resources to repair the weapons systems, tell them to salvage the missile because we might be able to use it later."

"Aye, chief." The young man walked over to the runner that had made his way from the aft of the ship.

"What the hell else could go wrong?" Harris asked himself.

There was an electrical explosion from in front of him and as he moved the lights went down all over the ship leaving only the dark red emergency lights of the back up life support systems.

"You had to ask." Harris smacked his head against a hull support.

EA Nautilus:

The Nautilus sat in the midst of its remaining command, damaged and disabled Ships were floating around her being watched over by the few remaining intact ships while the Tenders and repair teams from the station swarmed over the ships they may be able to repair.

"Sensors and sign of the Achilles?"

"No, Sir. Half the sensor clusters sensors are still fried from the EM surge and energy spike but we're on it."

"They send out an energy signature bigger than any of our space stations and you can't see that?"

"No, Sir although with that blast they might have had to scram their reactors. They'd be basically a low power signature if on emergency power. We've got SAR shuttles on approach from DSR4 their sensors are online and fully functional so we may be able to find someone out there."

"What about our own?"

"Starfuries and fleet shuttles are still scouting for survivors from both sides but we're not looking at many survivors. Sir, we've picked up about sixty crewmen from out ships, nothing from the Minbari."

"Understood."

"Sir we're getting a communication from Earthdome, it follows latest encryptions, it's a broadband signal to all units."

"What is it?"

"Evac signal- all personnel and available ships are to leave the system and return to the Midrange base at Beta Durani, any and all ships unable to make transit are to be scuttled and computer systems completely fragged."

"Dammit! Okay distribute orders to all the ships in system."

"Sir what about the Achilles?"

"We'll look for her until the last of the personnel are aboard the evac ships if we haven't found them by that time then we have to leave her behind."

"Sir…" The XO complained only to be cut off.

"I know Xo, we owe them but we have thousands of people to Evacuate one ship no matter how powerful or who it's crewed by is more necessary than the people we have to get out."

"Aye, Sir."

Smith turned to the communications officer, "SAR shuttles and starfuries are to continue operations. They have sixteen hours until we leave use it wisely, dispatch the carriers and the corvette to SAR duties as well let's see if we can get the Achilles home."

"Aye, sir."

Drala Fi:

Minbari Flagship

Three hours later

The Warrior caste officer approached Caplann. "Satai."

"What is it?"

"We have received a message from the Blood of Dukhat task force. It was cut off half way through the message."

"What? How is that possible, what did it say?"

"It was encoded, to your personal clan code."

"Leave me."

The Satai of the Warrior Caste stood before a simple computer terminal unlinked to the ship's systems. It was all but impossible for anybody to access without his authorisation, taking the small crystal he accessed the file inside.

Blood of Dukhat: Blood of Dukhat Taskforce, Shai Alyt Mana'muna Commanding. Temporary Alyt Con'vann In command. It is with a heavy heart I must disclose that the glorious mission that the Blood of Dukhat and escorts were sent to carry out was a failure. As of this transmission all ships of the task force have been destroyed, no survivors on many of the ships. The Dukhat itself has been badly damaged with few crew surviving. Damage is severe, all systems are compromised and life support is on low levels, all emergency systems are failing we….Message Ends

"Impossible" the Satai exclaimed.

He was fortunate that he was in the privacy of his own quarters. That kind of outburst would have been unseemly to one of his rank and prestige in any other setting. Lashing out he smashed the hilt of his Pike into the monitor screen of the computer system, he expanded the staff like weapon and again and again smashed it into the recessed machine. Twirling, it he laid waste to everything else in the small room venting his anger on the objects and equipment scattered around ending with his 'bed' being smashed in half by the final impact of the pike.

Breathing heavily the Warrior Satai straightened himself, alighting from his room he returned to the command bridge in the depths of the ship's inner hull.

"Alyt call together all available ships in the immediate area and set course to the last known position of the Blood of Dukhat task force-full speed."

"Yes, Satai."

Across the immediate surrounding sectors ships of all three castes were called upon to rendezvous with the Drala Fi task force. Within hours six task forces totally almost twenty five ships had come together in an impressive amount of firepower.

Revenge would be theirs:


	9. Chapter 8

Part Eight  
"Please I can't eat any more raw coffee…"

EA Nautilus.  
Fourteen Hours Post Battle

The Nautilus drifted in space; its station-keeping thrusters holding the close to one mile long warship in place as it observed the evacuation of the DSR Post and it's inhabitants. Already several thousand soldiers and maintenance personnel had been shipped to the remaining warships of the defence flotilla. The last of the remaining personnel and equipment necessary was being shipped to the twin Avenger carriers. Indeed those carriers were now filled with the surviving starfuries and shuttles from the base, the other ships were also now filled to overflowing by fighters and shuttlecraft, the latter holding the rescued personnel from destroyed ships and from the DSR station.

The few floating pieces of Minbari debris left was also picked up by SAR teams as they wrapped up the search. There were no more survivors to be found. Time was drawing to a close when a transmission was received from one of the returning Starfury patrols; the information was transferred directly to the Nautilus Bridge.

"Sir, we got 'em," came a voice from the rear of the bridge.

"Where?" 

The young Lt who had taken the third shift command position that day moved through the Zero G atmosphere to the sensor officer position behind him.

"Sensors are fully operational---scanning the Co-ords. There, Sir. The blast pushed them to the far side of the system. We're not getting much else from them. As far as I can tell…" he fiddled with the information screens, "Their main reactors are running low, possibly on secondary power, however we are reading their ECM signature and it looks like there are people still alive on board."

"Divert Flight 325 to those Co-ords, and get the Captain up here immediately."

"Aye, Sir."

With the Achilles found at last a flight of four Starfuries broke off their search pattern to approach the USAF vessel. Sensors active and communications ready attempts were made to contact the United States warship all to no avail.

"This is Flight 325 to Nautilus. We have sighted the Achilles, and she's intact and under power. Severe damage evident, we're going in closer."

Two of the four cross shaped fighters pulled away from the formation and accelerated towards the corvette sized warship, the closer inspection saw the heavy hull damage caused to the Achilles. Where once almost pristine hull plating and weapons were installed blackened metal and melted components were all that remained.

"Flight 325 to Nautilus, we've got movement, spacesuited crew are looking over damage, they're signalling us. Theirs slight debris in the area from the Achilles, she's mostly intact though, attempting communications."

"Flight 325 to Achilles, Come in."

A squeal and hiss came from the speakers as a signal attempted to link the two ships together.

"This is Achilles-good to see you Flight 325."

"You as well Achilles. Sitrep please."

"Long range sensors and sublight engines are functional however our hyperdrive is non operational. We'll need help to leave the system."

"How are you set for defences?"

"Good for now. We're launching remaining fighters for CAP."

"Good to hear it Achilles, We'll contact base and have one of the Tenders with a guard unit make their way here within the hour. We're bugging out of the system to the midrange base at Beta Durani, we'll see you there."

"Thank You Flight 325, good luck to you all. Message from the Major, If the Minbari arrive, you have to leave us behind."

"Got that Achilles, we've got a saying here. We never leave a man behind."

"We've got the same saying Flight, good luck."

"To us all Achilles. 325 out."

"Flight leader to all fighters, let's get back. Four send a message to the Nautilus, we've got them. Achilles need tender and escort immediately."

"Aye Sir," came the response.

USAF Achilles  
Fifteen hours Post Battle

The Achilles' main systems were almost online, either through use of back ups or the reactivation of the circuit breakers. The internal damage was not as bad as was first believed. Only the failure of the internal communications and cosmetic damage to the internal sections had been evident allowing the crew to move around the ship once the damage was cleared.

The last remaining weapons were now back online along with some very basic shielding, not enough for combat but enough to plough through the depths of space without taking severe damage from debris and natural phenomena. 

However, the rest of the news was grave. Much of the ship's original weapons and hull armour was now little more than scrap metal, unusable for repairs or salvage. The Achilles had only been equipped as a short range cruiser going through its initial shakedown cruises-meaning that while it was fully loaded out with the maximum capability of weapons and supplies there was very little in the way of spares or extraneous computing power needed to keep the Achilles at full power. The fact that the loss of weapons and ordinance during the damage taken by the ship due to the immense enhanced Matter/Antimatter explosion, meant that the Achilles was limping at minimum speed with a third of it's provisions left intact and almost a third of the crew dead or lost to the hull breaches taken in the four days since they were sent into the future.

One of the few places still relatively intact, the bridge currently held the remaining few heads of department in the rear where the plotting tables usually stood. Only a half dozen of the twenty ship's heads had survived the combat with three currently in sickbay, leaving only a few to converse with Major Davis.

"Major there's little we can do without a dry-dock or preferably an orbital yard. There's no way this ship will survive any kind of re-entry. With the breaches, we're just not atmosphere capable. What's more it seems trinium doesn't exist around here at all so we've no choice but to use steel and titanium to seal up which will limiting our handling capabilities." The Chief engineer looked dead on his feet.

"So we're a no go for operations."

"Yes Sir. Weapons are available but we're down to half ammunition and with the damage to most of the hard points we've got gaps in weapons coverage."

"Thank you chief. Gentlemen, get some rest we'll need your help tomorrow."

The three men left their position on the bridge and headed down to the next deck to get the lift to the habitation area of the ship.

"Sir, we've got an incoming ship."

"Identify."

"Computer reports Olympus Class corvette sir, right on time. Artimis Carrier and Hyperion cruiser are taking positions on the flanks sir, Starfuries are launching into escort units."

"Corvette St Margaret's Bay to Achilles, come in."

"This is Achilles- good to see you gentlemen."

"Nice to hear there somebody over there, hang tight Achilles. Once we're in position we'll lock on tow lines and get us all out of here."

"Got it Corvette, we'll be ready."

"St Margaret's Bay out.

"Sound an alert, prepare for turbulence."

"Aye, Sir."

The Larger Corvette came around close to the other ship and move in front of the Achilles manoeuvring itself so it's rear towlines could be reeled out and grappled to the Achilles' main hull. The six long thick lines were taken in hand and clamped to the smaller ship as Starfuries led the lines out and suited USAF personnel locked them down.

Setting a slow pace to bring the Achilles up to a faster speed, the corvette pulled away and was joined by the other ships of the escort and the twin fighter squadrons of the small carrier. The slow speed allowing the 302 class Interceptors to dock home, the small force joined the rest of the evacuation convoy and jumped into hyperspace allowing the USAF warship its first glimpse of another realm of hyperspace.

Drala Fi.  
Enroute to DSR4  
Sixteen Hours Post Battle

Coplann strode into the main command centre. "Shai Alyt, time to reversion to Realspace?"

"Satai, we are eight hours from reversion at current speed." The Drala Fi's commander replied

The Combined Task force of twenty four vessels were cruising through hyperspace at maximum thrust for the warships, the faster, lighter Tinashis were scouting ahead by a factor of three minutes while the ten Sharlin warcruisers trailed behind. The frigates had had to cut back their own engines to stay in step with the heavier warships. This speed above that of the Blood Of Dukhat task force had meant their transition from their original patrol points to the DSR station was only half that of the first group of ships.

However it had gotten around that the entire task force sent earlier had been destroyed in the attack against the Earther base. The humans had not had the ability to so completely destroy a Minbari fleet like this before. At least they couldn't have without an impressive amount of ships at their behest.

The anger of the Warrior caste was a palpable entity while the anger of the other Minbari castes was not as strong.. However Minbari blood had been spilt again and this time the losses to the Minbari people was considered to be an affront to the ancient and powerful race.

"All ships are to revert to realspace immediately upon entering range, I don't care what ships are in system destroy everything, the barbarians that assisted the Earthers are to die."

"Yes Alyt."

In the hours since their jump the Minbari ships had gone through drill after drill readying for the battle to come.

Mid Range Military Station  
Beta Durani System  
Twenty Four hours post battle

The Mid-range base at Beta Durani was one of the largest and most comprehensive stations in known space. Large and comprising both orbital and planetary based habitats, the station was the most heavily defended of the Alliance's outer bases. The Mid-range base was the Alliance's only forward base left heading towards the Minbari lines.

Twin O'Neill habitats spun in the orbit of one of the System's two Earth type planets holding much of the Alliance's forces in the system. Situated between the stations stood the system's massive shipyard complex. Construction and repairs proceeding at an accelerated pace. Hyperions and Novas took up most of the drydocks while smaller spaces churned out squadrons of Starfuries and shuttles for the heavier warships.

All approaches to the Station had had their defences heavily upgraded since the beginning of the war, now much of the outer system was covered in minefields and small Orbital Satellites surrounding the closer areas as well as the orbits of the inner planets.

The Durani System was all but impassable to non Earth Alliance warships since the war's start, the last layer of the system's defences consisted of close to fifty warships of all types, monitors, cruisers, dreadnaughts and fighters patrolled constantly around every approach into and out of the system.

On the outer reaches of the system a half dozen jump points opened up close to the outermost listening posts of the system, the entire system went on red alert as the six points bloomed open and ships began pouring out. Seconds later the closest stations caught the IFF transponders of the incoming Earthforce ships fresh from the Battle of DSR 4.

"Beta Durani Command this is Delta Sierra Evac Fleet One. Come in."

"This Is Durani Base Control. Good to here from you Evac one."

"Roger Control. Request docking facilities for all incoming ships."

"We've got the places Evac One, just bring them in."

"Control we require a singular covered and pressurised dry-dock for incoming classified vessel."

"Say again Evac One?"

"Require Pressurised Dry Dock for Incoming Classified, Code One Delta Niner."

The on duty crew of the defence station looked at each other with shock, the One Delta Niner signal was second only to the One Delta One Signal. Both were classifications that meant that they were bringing in new and possibly alien technologies from unknown sources. The Niner Signal meant advanced but non-First one technology.

The signals were encoded only that year when the information about the first ones came to light thanks to information from the Narn in the exchange information and supplies offered since the war's beginning. This code was relayed immediately to Earthforce command at Earthdome coming to the attention of the Chiefs of staff, the R&D department and the Psi Corps.

"Affirmative Evac one. Bay Omega Zero six is available for docking all surrounding vessels are being pulled out and sensors surround the entry Corridor are being diverted, all incoming warships are to take positions in planetary orbit all Evac ships are to head for Habitat Two immediately for immediate removal to planetside Base."

"Roger that Control. Corvette St Margaret's Bay and One Delta Niner are heading for Omega six, Nautilus Alpha One and DSR Alpha One are trailing the incoming. Request the immediate assistance from Commander Durani Post and Commander Defense fleet."

"We'll see what we can do, we have you on scanners, ETA nineteen Minutes, defence flotilla six is on their way to escort Evac ships to Durani Habitat two."

"Roger Durani Control. Nautilus Out."

The dozen remaining warships of the DSR defence fleet turned towards the inner planets, their corridors through the minefields opened up by signals from the command post in system. The smaller container ships and massed shuttlecraft took a different route in order to make their way to the dual spinning habitats. However two small ships both around the same time made their way through the minefields much more quickly than the larger warships towards the massive shipyards of the system.

As the EF corvette and the smaller USAF Battlecruiser approached the outermost parts of the station the huge constructs came into view, dozens of docks, factories, construction yards and storerooms filled the view. Half built cruisers and creadnaughts stood, their skeletons still visible in parts where the armoured covering hadn't yet been attached. Squadrons of starfuries stood ready for use by either the ships under construction or any units incoming.

However directly in front of them sat six massive bays bigger by about half than the Nova dreadnaught bays that made up almost a third of the surrounding drydocks, in these docks were four massive but only partially constructed vessels, with a fifth just starting construction. The sixth dock was covered completely with hull plating enclosing it like a cocoon. The Olympus class ship pulled into the bay, it's tow lines guiding the Achilles into the deserted dockyard. The massive doors slamming shut and the slow work of pressuring the giant bay started.

Outside the bay the docks went back to work as the construction furies and suited crewmen retook their position, while three warships and multiple squadrons of starfuries took up guard positions around the Omega Docks.

Earth Force Command  
Earthdome  
Geneva  
Earth  
Same Day

The Fleet control rooms of the Earth Force Command Centre was the biggest and most comprehensive defense station in the Earth Alliance sphere of influence, the massively powerful computer systems currently held the position of every ship in the EA's star systems and often beyond.

Currently the entire base was at full alert as it had been since the declaration of war those months ago, hundreds of officers and command crew members were at their positions up and down the enclosed room, the massive computer screens were alive with Earth force ship positions and fleet designations. Every warship, fleet monitor and fighter in and around Earth alliance space was tagged and identified by the fleet computers as of the latest communications from that fleet.

However the newest information had thrown much of the command station into a Frenzy as one of the Deep Space Rendezvous posts had been taken out and the ships based there routed to the closest fleet base at Beta Durani.

The Minbari had penetrated Earth Alliance space.

The Best estimates of the Earth Alliance had believe the Minbari were still months from finding any of the bases or outposts and now the first had fallen to a fleet of enemy warships. The biggest shock had come when the reports had been transmitted from the Nautilus Battlegroup a short time ago when they had been informed that an unknown vessel had destroyed at least six Minbari warships in two separate encounters over the past few days.

That ship was now safely in the classified and highly experimental refit-Nova class docks at Beta Durani, the secondary base for the ship latest designs coming off of the docks, still close to two years from completion as opposed to the close to complete new class destroyers at the Io Complex. The fact that the ship was classified under a One Delta designation was even more of a surprise, topped with the fact that the people aboard were completely and totally human meant that some of the scientists ands top brass were having coronaries about all this.

"Officer on the Deck." A voice shouted

"General Lefcourt Good to see you." Another General came from his office to greet the Fleet Commander."

"General Tobias, your report please."

"Approximately three hours ago confidential records were transmitted on Gold Channel to Earthforce command from the Nautilus dreadnaught group and the Beta Durani Omega Drydocks. Almost thirty hours ago Deep Space Rendezvous Point Four was attacked by a five ship Minbari task force, two Sharlins and three Tinashi Escorts attacked the Base and its defence fleet.

On the Main screen above the plotting tables a view of the battle consisting of a cut together montage of gun cameras and long-range scanners of the Earth ships, shock rippled throughout the room as the first Tinashi frigate was intercepted by the unknown vessel which basically crippled the much larger vessel.

The scans shifted again from the basic bloodbath of any EA/Minbari battle to the combat between the second and third Minbari ships and the 'Achilles' as she was known. The destruction of the second ship involving no damage to the Achilles thrilled the entire group watching. Then the climax, the detonation of a massive explosion magnified many times by the Achilles' weapons filled the screen frying the cameras and scanners of the ships watching.

Grainy Images came up from secondary scanners and partially functioning sensors from ships only lightly damaged from the explosion, the entire field of combat was cleared. All five Minbari warships and their few remaining fighters were gone, vaporised by the blast wave. The Achilles herself was also gone ,however it was known that the new arrival was still active and more or less intact much to the surprise of the Earth Force Personnel both there and at Beta Durani.

"The Entire Enemy task force was destroyed in that last conflagration, the rest of the personnel and surviving ships made it out before the Minbari got to the DSR post, however automated systems kept the post operational after the Evac fleet had left. This was the result only four hours ago it came through with the records from the Midrange base."

Once again a montage of scenes from the DRS point's scanners and satellites came into view, almost in sync almost a dozen jump points opened up in system fighters and capital ships streaming out headed by the biggest and most powerful Minbari ship they had ever seen bigger than the usual ships of the fleet it bristled with weapons and thicker armour.

"What the hell is that?"

"Dammit, she's an unknown we've some Intel reports about a bigger Command ship for their fleets but nothing like this."

"Well we've got it now, anything?"

"Negative, they're running with jammers down but their main ECM systems are online. We've got size and that's it nothing more than we did have."

On the screen the dozens of ships all but disappeared just slight blurs showing where the fleet used to be, this giving evidence that the Minbari jammers were now operational on the enemy ships. Why they had all had jammers offline nobody knew but now the Minbari were hunting in the system. Fortunately they would find nothing.

The picture broke to static as it's was sensor array was destroyed by Neutron cannon fire from the closest sharlin to the station, no more sensor information appeared afterwards meaning that the station was totally destroyed.

"That's it General, that's everything we've got."

"Why did their jammers fail when they jumped into the system."

"No idea, We'll look through the scanner logs but I doubt we'll find much."

"Good, now onto the more important part of this exercise, what is this new ship?"

"That's where things get interesting."

The screen brought up a picture of the damaged Achilles, the scars and burns of combat were evident while the missing hull sections gave testament to the fact they had taken damage saving the Earthforce ships from total annihilation.

"The ship seems to be human built, English markings claiming the vessel is a Battlecruiser of the United States Air Force."

"The USAF hasn't existed in almost two hundred years, and even when they did they had nothing like this."

"Apparently this ship is more advanced than anything we've seen before."

"How so?"

"Well apart from the weapons we've seen, the Achilles boasts ECM on a par with the Minbari, scanners capable of reading Minbari ship locations and locking on to them, fighter carrying capability, artificial gravity and hyperspace jump point capability."

"No ship that small could have all that, she's smaller than an Olympus for Christ's sake."

"Sir she also has some form of energy shield. Its that shield that allowed the Achilles to survive combat with all those Minbari ships."

The General was all but struck dumb at the fact that a possibly human ship FROM THE 21st CENTURY, was capable of destroying Minbari forces where entire ship squadrons of Earthforce's best dreadnaughts had failed. More so, the fact that they did so using projectiles and Nuclear missiles was the last straw. That one ship could be just what they were looking for.

If they could persuade that ship and its crew to join them then the war could change within weeks, but again they may not and things may go badly for both sides if that happened.

"Copy these records onto data crystals, the president will want to see this."

Drala Fi  
Station close to the former position of DSR 4  
Thirty three hours post battle.

A little over six hours had passed since the Minbari had jumped into the system, their overconfidence had led them to believe that they would catch the humans flatfooted, that the earthers would not expect another attack so quickly. When the ships of the battle fleet jumped in they were ready for action.

Or would have been had anyone been there.

Scans rippled through the entire system; there was nothing at all, no fighters no ships and no sign of any of the ships of the Dukhat task force. The only scans that came up with anything was the debris from a dozen Earther ships, a few small probes and the intact but empty spinning habitat used by the Earthers as the command post for the area.

The ship's systems had seemed to fail and then come back online as they began to transverse out of the jump points and out into the system proper, seconds later the ship's stealth systems had returned and they were again cloaked against the Earther sensor probes. The technicians were trying to find the cause of the failure on board the Drala Fi and indeed on the rest of the ships of the fleet.

"No Signs of the Earthers anywhere in the system Satai."

"Very well, have the fleet reassemble and head back towards their patrol lines, We'll get to the bottom of this."

"Yes Satai."

The ships of the Minbari fleet dispersed back into their component task forces and left the system by different routes returning to their patrols awaiting their chance to strike against the Earthers that had perpetrated this dishonour against the Minbari people.


	10. Chapter 9

Part Nine  
"Guns don't kill People Apes With guns Kill People"

Omega Dock 6  
Beta Durani System  
Two days later

The pressurised dock stood almost empty The corvette and the Battle cruiser both sat at opposite ends of the mile and a half long by mile wide dry-dock. Like all construction areas the base had, this dock worked in zero gravity allowing the structural members of each and every ship to be pulled into place easily, much more so than on a planetary surface.

At this moment the Achilles sat docked to a pair of large cranes, this had allowed the crew of the Battle cruiser to do a shirtsleeve inspection of the damage to their ship. The damage was as bad as believed with much of the outer hull armour seared away by the powerful explosion that had sent them spinning into space.

What was worse is that some hull damage had not been found the first time around, the trip through hyperspace and its unpredictable tidal forces had caused cracks and tears to appear in areas that had been thought to be intact. The vessel was a mess and nothing short of extended dockyard time would do anything to fix her, the loss of many of the weapons and defensive abilities of the Achilles as well as damage to the Hyperspace Window Generator (or HWG) meant that she was not going anywhere.

"Major Davis."

"Colonel good to see you again."

"Likewise, your commanding officer wishes to see us both as soon as possible in her quarters aboard Habitat One."

"Any idea why?"

"No I don't."

"GOT YOU, YOU BASTARD!" a voice shouted from the other side of the Achilles, there a small group of ship's crew were all but dancing a jig for some reason.

"Thomson what's going on?" Davis shouted to the head of the team.

"Sir, the main weapon's back online the damage is repaired and she's ready to go, we need to recalibrate the targeting systems but once that's done we'll be back in business."

"Good work. Inform the Chief and then close up the holes in the casing."

"Aye, Sir."

Turning back to the attractive colonel Davis simply said, "lead the way."

The Earthforce Colonel and Air Force Major floated towards the multiple small airlocks that studded the port side of the dry-dock, attached to each were shuttles and construction pods, some older types and some the newer Construction Fury class pods. It was the former of these pods that the two officers pulled themselves into, the pod was big enough for two people and meant they could get to and from the habitat quickly without the need of the larger shuttles.

Habitat one was the command hub of Beta Durani Station, the four thousand men and women aboard were the command and service personnel for fleet operations and system defence. It's thicker armour and heavier weapons made it a far more difficult target than the secondary station or indeed many of the stations in that section of the Alliance. Unfortunately it was well known to everyone in the system that is the Minbari came en masse not even the comprehensive station defences could stop the incoming ships, even if it could take a good few with it.

Close up, the station looked like a spinning wheel theorised by a 20th century scientist as being the best idea for a gravitational habitat in space, the wheel shape also gave excellent overlapping fields of fire for the pulse and plasma weapons that dotted the surface of the station, the interceptors and missile weapons while not a plentiful as the heavy energy weapons were also evident in all sections of the construct.

As the fury come up close three dual pulse cannons locked onto their position and requested confirmation of their orders, from inside the Colonel- former CO of the DSR point was already sending the required information to the station. Seconds later, the pulse cannons turned away back to their sentry points allowing the small construction pod access to the station.

Pulling around the station they settled into the positive gravity of the bay and clambered out of the pod, a group of technicians taking control of the small craft for maintenance and refuelling.

"Major Davis, Colonel Travmakov, I'm Commander Edward Brown, XO of this station. Please follow me. The rest of the participants are awaiting you in the main command briefing room."

A short stocky Australian approached them. "What's going on Commander, we were asked to come here but we've not been told anything about this meeting."

"I'm afraid outside of the briefing room that is classified, not even I know what's going on. Sorry, Sir."

It took time for the three of them to make their way to the depths of the station to the command hub's tactical control room which at the moment as the most classified and secure room on the base was being used as the meeting room to convene the most important gathering the Beta Durani's history.

Inside the room stood a half dozen men and women of the differing commands, members of the three military branches of Earthforce, the Fleet commander for the immediate sector, the R&D commander for the base and lastly the Commanding officer of the Achilles Colonel Taylor.

"Major."

"Colonel, what's going on?"

A tall portly man stood from his sitting position at the head of the table to address the people in the room. He was dressed in the Brown uniform of the Earthforce Ground Warfare Operations Division otherwise known as the GroPos or 'GroundPounders'.

"Ladies and gentlemen please be seated, this room is now sealed against all known surveillance and information gathering technologies. This meeting is also under the auspices of wartime confidentiality and as such any information given by any person in this room to any secondary agency will result in immediate execution under the treason laws of 2232." General Franklin told the assembled officers. "Furthermore on Earthdome orders, no records will be made of this meeting or anything about what transpires in the next few days involving the One Delta Nine and anything to do with it."

Older, stately women spoke up her voice tinged with a south English accent almost unrecognisable under the clipped martial tones "Thank you General, Colonel Taylor, Major Davis my belated welcome to Beta Durani. I am General Karen Fleming of Earthforce Naval command and head of fleet operations for the Durani system and the immediate surrounding sector."

She sat back down in her seat and proceeded to get the meeting underway.  
"As you know the Alliance has it's back to the wall. In the last few months Minbari forces have annihilated entire colonies and wiped out most of our forward fleets and defence forces. Indeed the DSR posts are some of the last long range stations we have and now it seems they have been discovered with the destruction of post four two days ago.

"We cannot win this war. The Minbari outnumber, outgun and outrange everything we've got. The few ships we've destroyed have been at the loss of five to one in combat, fighter losses are worse, we have maybe a year, a year and a half before the Minbari come knocking on Earth's door."

A third man, in the blue of fleet command but with the insignia of Starfighter command spoke up. "Colonel, we are requesting your help."

"Our help, we're only one ship with half a squadron of fighters. I doubt we could do much."

"It's not so much your ships colonel, although those Interceptors you have are damn good. It's more what of your ship represents."

"Such as?"

"That ship is one of the smallest capital ships I have ever seen, yet by all accounts it is capable of taking out any ship in known space Your ship destroyed eight Minbari ships in only a few days, that's more than any of our fleets have ever done without taking immense damage and losses."

"General, where we are from we need assistance to fight an enemy much more deadly than the Minbari could ever be. That's the only reason we even have the Prometheus Class Battlecruisers."

"What kind of assistance?"

"That's well… classified information General."

"But surely you would not refuse us help with the entire human race on the line."

"General, we've talked to the Minbari and I agree with you." Davis Said. "But our orders are signed by our Commander In Chief and as such is under strict confidentiality. We are not authorised to give out certain information about our ships or its technology."

"Even if it would save the human race."

"General, from what I can see here if we give you this technology it will put you as far above the Minbari as they are to you at this moment."

"Yes."

"But would it stop with you holding the line against Minbari incursions, will you go on to destroy every Minbari ship and planet in revenge, and then what after that you take on the other races, just annex or destroy those who get in the way? Ladies and gentlemen this war in unjust and we will help you at this moment to halt this war, but we will not in good conscience allow you access to our defensive technologies."

The officers around the table looked decidedly angry at the presumption of this 'Major' that they would do anything more than protect themselves.

"However, we will share some small parts of our technology. The systems created by us without assistance, our sensor systems and railgun technologies are both in advance of basic Earth Alliance technology. Both are easily adaptable to your tech base and will allow you to increase the defensive and offensive systems on your warships."

"Antifighter equipment and sensors are all well and good Major," the General said. "But the armour and shielding your ship has as well as those incredible nukes could shorten this war by months if not years."

"General, the technology is not ours to give and we will not break the treaty with our allies or break our orders. We will assist to bring this war to an end but that is it, we will be attempting to find a way home as soon as this war closes."

"That's not…"

"I'm sorry General but that is all we can do, the systems will help you to combat the Minbari but making you a power that could steamroll over everyone in this immediate area of the galaxy is not something we can do in good faith."

"But…"

"General, please that's enough." The Head of the station said, "There is nothing that will change you mind into giving us your defensive technologies."

"I'm afraid not, classifications mean as much to our Military as it does to yours," Taylor spoke up. "I'm well aware of the Minbari and their 'Holy War' and we can help you to make peace or at least to hold the Minbari back until they see sense. Railguns, ECM, our sensors and possibly a copy of our hyperdrive and Sublight systems. All were created by our own military using reverse engineering of enemy systems, hence most can and will be exchanged for repairs, provisions and equipment. But that is it."

"Thank you for your candor Colonel."

"I'm sorry we can't be of more help."

"Thank you anyway."

"We need to return to the Achilles to oversee the repairs and to copy the require systems Data for you to work with."

"Thank you, the guards will show you to a shuttle."

The two officers left the room, the Earthforce officers were by and large disappointed, angry and bewildered by the short meeting between the two sides. The fact that this ship of humans were refusing to shared their technologies with the humans of the Earth Alliance was in their eyes short sighted and unfair. 

These people had the ability to change the face of the war overnight and now refused to do so by claiming that they would use these new systems to remove anyone that got in their way.

"Bastards."

"Calm down, Franklin."

"The damned Minbari are coming closer and killing every human that they come into contact with and they sit there with the powerful ship and refuse to give us what we need."

"Franklin you know as much as anyone what classifications mean, they cannot give us their most powerful systems because they are under orders not to, the USAF may not exist here anymore but they believe that their Oaths are valid. We have no jurisdiction with them in any way."

"Earthdome will not like this."

"For now all we can do is hope the systems we do receive can help us turn this around for all our sakes."

EarthDome  
Geneva  
One Hour later

It had only taken a few minutes for the information gathered from the meeting to make it back to the commanders at Earthdome, the predictable response had indeed been one of shock and anger across the board. The Generals were angry that their best chance to end this war was being held back, even more so were some of the senators of the Earth Alliance Government. Indeed, like the military they believed they needed whatever they could get whatever the cost to end this war.

"What the hell do you mean we won't receive the shield tech." The Senator shouted at General Leftcourt

"The commanding officers of the Achilles refuse to allow their most classified technologies to fall into our hands, they believe that we cannot be trusted with said tech because of the war footing we are on. The FACT is we believe that they are afraid that we will not stop with the Minbari and the alliance will continue to expand no matter what happens."

"They are scared alright, scared that once we have their secrets that we will not have any need for them. Very well leave them be for now we'll have to try something else to get hold of their precious shielding tech."

"Yes Sir."

"That will be all General."

"Yes Senator, Clark."


	11. Chapter 10

Part Ten:  
"That's all we need a Druish princess."

Earthdome  
Senator's offices

"I really don't like that guy."

"Sir." The General's Aide appeared next to Leftcourt as the older man left the senator's offices, Leftcourt was both angry and embarrassed at the conversation he had been a party to. People like Clark got right on his wick.

"Let me tell you something Captain, never get involved in politics if you can help it."

"What was the Senator's reaction Sir?"

"Clark is very annoyed by the fact that this newcomer ship refuses to give us access to their entire technical base, apparently he thinks that they are afraid of us for some reason."

"With their tech base I doubt that, Sir."

"As do I," he agreed.

The two EarthForce officers left the senator's offices at EarthDome to return to the command centre at EarthForce Headquarters. Even with the excitement of the last few days, the loss of six ships was little more than a gnat bite when it came to the overall view of the war. The Minbari were still pushing forward in most areas. Only a few outposts with heavy weapons and massed warship support were holding out at the moment, but even so the war was still going against the Earth Alliance and not even the most powerful systems were safe from the Minbari.

The only true fortunes the humans had were the fact that the Minbari did not know where the twin home systems of the Alliance were, Earth and Proxima were still safe from attack by the alien race, for now at least. Secondly the next generation of warships were almost ready for deployment from the Alliance Shipyards at Sol, Proxima and Barnard's star.

With luck the fifty new warships and sixty new escorts would help to hold the Minbari back at least for a while until the Alliance could come up with something involving the new technologies bought from the Narn and possibly from the Achilles crew as well, the prototype Nova and Hyperion refits made up the bulk of the newly commissioned ships all with better sensors and weapons that the last commissioned fleet had had.

The entire group was to be the Reinforcement fleet for the mid range base at Wolf 359. That station while nominally the equivalent to the Beta Durani base had little to no defensive armament left after successive attacks by the Minbari.

The system's shipyards had been crippled with barely a fifth of the seventy slipways intact while the minefields and patrol ships had been wiped away by continuous assaults by the Minbari. This left the Twin Stations and its surrounding weapons platforms as the only systems remaining to defend the system and the personnel in the shipyards.

The attacks however had been continuously repelled by the EarthForce defences. The loss of the mine fields and thirty ships of the defensive force had cost the Minbari close to forty ships and the each time while the damage done to the enemy was less and less the crippled defences still drove off the massive Minbari Sharlins and smaller Tinashis. The fleet would be assembled by the end of the week. Those ships would join with a force of both construction ships and fleet tenders. Together, they would attempt to reinforce and rebuild the system defences for the Wolf System to hold against the inevitable attacks that would be coming once the Minbari had reinforced their forward lines. Hopefully this would make the Minbari think twice about coming after the midrange bases again.

"Sir, we've established communications with Beta Durani."

"Good, put it through to the briefing room."

The briefing room was similar to the meeting rooms on the space stations in orbit of the EA worlds, however it was much more luxuriously appointed compared to the orbital habitats, taking up much of one wall was a series of screens and consoles to allow large scale communication with stations and battlegroups. On the centre screen was the face of the Station's commander, General Hague.

"William, good to see you."

"You too, Sir."

"Straight down to business, what can you tell us about our new friends?"

"Well, true to their word we've received technical specifications of some of their systems.. According to our technicians they've never seen anything like this before, the technology is over two hundred years out of date but the way it's been put together…its systems are much more advanced than most of ours. The railguns alone are a tenth our size, but capable of destroying fighters and even smaller warships."

"The video evidence shows this ship is more than we could ever hope for."

"Sir, they've given us their sensor tech as well, within the month we will have every ship in the system fitted to read the Minbari warships."

"That quickly?"

"Yes, Sir. The rest of the technology will take time to reverse engineer and fit to the rest of our ships but the sensors are easy to integrate."

"Do it. Top priority. Suspend all work on the omega class and wait for the new tech to be engineered."

"Aye, Sir."

"William, we might have a problem."

"Sir?"

"Clark is ordering a Psi Corps team to Beta Durani from their Base at Proxima. They will be there in three days."

"What the hell for?"

"I don't know but it's unlikely to be anything good, especially since the Achilles refuse to share their most powerful and advanced tech."

"So the teeps might be sent to get that information?"

"At best guess."

"The Achilles and crew are not EarthForce or Alliance personnel, they do not come under the auspices of Psi Corps and therefore this is illegal."

"I agree."

"Should I Inform Colonel Taylor?"

"Yes, As soon as possible."

"Sir. Why exactly are we trying to stop the Psi Corps? I mean we could do with all the help we could get." A very Junior Ensign asked

"Main reason ensign, these people are helping us out of a tight squeeze, they don't have to and I'm damned if some blockheaded prat at Earthdome is going to mess up this alliance."

Minbar  
Minbari Federation  
Same day

The Crystalline spires that made up much of the skyline of Minbar glittered in the rising sun of the early morning, Minbar like much of the Federation was at a war footing, since the Murder of the greatest of them the Minbari of all castes had joined up to fight the Barbarians known as 'Humans' or 'Earthers'.

In a deep hidden temple the seven members of the Grey council still on Minbar were meeting to discuss the state of the war against the Earthers. Information gathered and extrapolated had given the Minbari navy more targets, both ship based and planetary based. The most intriguing had been the records from the Drala Fi and the Warrior Caste Satai Hedronn of a missing naval task force assigned to destroy an Earther station that had been the first strike into the space claimed by the so-called Earth Alliance.

The only information that they had received from the task force had been a single coded text recording sent to the Drala Fi by the command ship of the task force, the 'Blood of Dukhat'. The news that all the ships of the fleet, bar a crippled Sharlin, had been destroyed on top of the loss of the Shargotti Shal'avi only days before had angered the council, the fact that they had no idea of who or what had been responsible was even more perturbing than just the loss of six ships.

"Fellow Satai, we seem to be at a slight impasse in our eradication of the Earthers." He brought the holographic systems online to form up around the Wolf 359 System. "In the last three weeks this Earth system has held against our most determined efforts to pierce their defences, while their ships and primitive minefields were dealt with they managed to damage many ships allowing the survivors and local defence systems to destroy our vessels.

"More so, they are still capable of combating task forces sent to destroy them. Fifty of our front line ships have fallen destroyed or damaged to the Earthers. This base is better defended and in better repair than the smaller stations we have destroyed since the war began."

"What is the warrior Caste's thoughts Satai?"

"We believe that a determined strike of twenty ships could wipe out the enemy fortifications and any ships that come to reinforce the Station. Furthermore it will avenge the blood of our lost brothers and put fear into the Earther's hearts when their most powerful stations are destroyed by our superior ships."

"What of the loss of six of our ships to an unknown assailant," asked a worker Satai.

"The loss of the Shal'avi was discovered by the Halla'shi task force what seems to be less than a day after the incident. Some debris of non-Earther or Minbari type was discovered as was radiation of an unknown type- it was later discovered that the same radiation existed at the Earther station later destroyed by the Drala Fi Combined Battlegroup."

"So, the humans or someone assisting them, have destroyed six of our vessels for almost no observable damage."

"That is correct."

"Could this be the same vessel or could it be the actions of more than one?" a religious Satai spoke up.

"We believe it may be the work of multiple ships, there is little chance that any ship could have made it between both systems so quickly. Not even our fastest ships came back it that far within that time limit."

"So the Earthers have help from multiple ships of an unknown type and from an unknown power."

"That is out belief at this time."

"Fellow Satai." The second warrior Satai lowered his hood to look at the rest of the group. "If this is true then the possibility exists that the humans may acquire technology that will allow them to destroy entire task forces with a single ship, this cannot be allowed to come to pass. We must push forward harder than we have done, we have the warriors and the ships we must strike deeper and harder than we have so far."

"You do not believe this is hasty, one ship or even two will not allow the Earthers to defeat our ships in the time left to them," stated one religious caste.

"I believe that the humans while little more than barbarians have somewhat of a capability when it comes to adapting their technology, theirs and any they acquire from others."

"Be that as it may, they have not stopped us yet and I doubt they have the resources to, however I also believe that the threat may be real. We shall authorise the use of the Eastern Defence Fleets to join the attack, we need to end this war and quickly."

"Agreed," the entire council chimed.

Outside the chamber an Attaché to the council was given the orders to allow the fleets on the eastern border of the federation, the border to the League Of Non Aligned Worlds to be attached to the war effort, this war would be over with quickly and efficiently and allow the Minbari to rest in the knowledge their fallen would be avenged.

"Order the fleet to destroy both Earther midrange bases immediately."

Unknown Location  
Unknown Time.

Observing through the eyes of their spy devices hidden in the Minbari Council meeting chambers, a host of floating semi-energy beings watched as their children pushed forward to finish this threat to their very beings. Of the beings assembled many sat worried at this new change in things.

"This newcomer threat has changed things, the Minbari are developing with a fervour that is much beyond their ken."

"Whatever this newcomer is, it is destabilising the circle, the humans may be the key, but if the Minbari push forward things may change and not for the better."

"The Circle will collapse and the game will be over."

"No." one voice said, one being that would one day be known to the outside world as Kosh Naranek, "The Circle will not break, it has changed and it has shifted but it is indeed whole and will stay so. The humans are more than even we know. The newcomers may help the humans against those whom seek to destroy them. In essence they may be what we need to banish the enemy once more."

"You believe these humans to be important to the grand scheme?"

"Yes."

"We shall watch and see, Kosh, we shall watch and see.

Midrange Base  
Beta Durani  
That night.

The dockyards were still at full swing as the dozens of slipways were still under use as the dreadnaughts, cruisers and carriers were under construction. The shipyards were under constant use twenty-four hours a day in an attempt to get as many ships out onto the battle line as was humanly possible. Some were partially constructed while others were barely begun, and only a very few were near completion.

However in the largest docks the partially completed Nova-X Dreadnaughts, as they were known construction had all but stopped as the massive constructs were ordered to cease most of the systems integration, only a very few systems such as life support and power distribution were still being installed.

The main reason for this halt was sat in the sixth of the Omega bays. The USAF Achilles had begun the very basic repairs to its hull and systems. Surprisingly enough to the USAF personnel,the technical abilities of the Earth Alliance Forces allowed close facsimiles of the Goa'uld based command systems as well as the trinium/titanium hull armour.

However much of that was in the future since the basic shoring up of the damaged sections and the refit of the most necessary primary systems came first. This was a massive undertaking due to the damage taken by the battle cruiser during the last battle. The huge amount of damage forced them to ask for EarthForce assistance which was necessary for the basic systems to be repaired.

In the thirty six or so hours since the Achilles arrival very little had been done to the ship even with the cordial relationship between the crew of the Achilles and the alliance forces. Neither were willing to do much more than the very basic work with each other. Some technical specs had been delivered to the R&D at Durani Station for perusal and in return certain amounts of supplies had been received by the Achilles. But so far, it proved enough to repair the major hull stresses and the primary environmental systems.

The outer sections and those not classified by the Captain and the XO were open to Earth Alliance technical staff in order to get the repairs underway quickly and efficiently. Most of the technicians had been part of the New Class Destroyer program and were some of the best the Alliance had- allowing the Achilles to be repaired faster than usual.

The worse off areas of the ship were to be the first to be repaired, hull breaches, system shorts and damaged decking were all top of the list. It was hoped that the ship's outer hull would be done within a few days allowing the damaged areas to be fully pressurised and tested before the systems and internal bulkheads were repaired.

"Colonel Taylor."

"Commander, how can I help you?"

The Durani Station's XO had been assigned to overlook the repairs teams the Alliance had sent to assist the USAF personnel in the repair of the Achilles. His basic demeanour and friendly personality had endeared him to the crew of the 21st century vessel. The dark haired man walked along the corridor towards the Colonel, though he had been aboard a half dozen times in the last day he was still awestruck by the fact the ship had Artificial gravity aboard.

"There's a communication from Durani Command for you, it's being transferred from the dockyard to the bridge."

"Thank you Commander, any idea why?"

"No Ma'am, if you'll excuse me I need to return to my teams."

"Of course, Commander."

The EarthForce officer left the corridor allowing Taylor to approach the bridge of her ship. The bridge was almost empty, more so than when the ship was in dock in Nevada. The necessity of having every available hand on damage control and repair had meant only two or three personnel were on the bridge at any one time, Joanna looked around and nodded to the on duty personnel before heading to the communications console.

Tapping in authorisation and command codes, the communications linked to the dockyard receiving station and translated the short-range communications channel into the basic SGC frequencies and then into the visible spectrum.

"General Hague, what can I do for you?"

"Colonel Taylor, I have news for you. EarthDome have agreed to all requests for repairs to your ship in exchange for the systems you are willing to share with us."

"Good news for both of us then."

"Not quite. Has anyone informed you of a group known as the Psi-Corps?"


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven  
"Let's get out there and Twat it."

USAF Prometheus.  
One Week into SAR operations  
Fifty light years from Wolfhound Station

It had taken the Prometheus only a day or so to make it to Wolfhound station, its refit reactors allowing the Earth vessel to make it there faster and much easier than ever before. However the news was grave. The station had heard of nothing since the Achilles had left the system it's bays full of partially refined Naquada ore.

With that in mind the Prometheus had met up with the dozen Jaffa Nation Ha'taks mother ships and their contingents of hyper capable Al'kesh bombers and Tel'tac cargo transports. The components of the Search and Rescue Squadron had split up to search the route the Achilles would have taken on it's journey back to the Sol System.

The scheduled stop the Achilles would have had to completely discharge and then recharge the entire hyperspace engine system in order to test the safety and recharge systems had been checked by the Prometheus. The debris of two Goa'uld allied Ha'tak ships had been found in the system both had been destroyed by Earth-created weaponry at least according to the radiation found on the debris, what's more the radioactive trace of a massive Naquada explosion had been found by the Earth ship's sensors.

-But no sign of the Achilles.

The immediate surrounding sectors were checked first by the SAR teams and nothing had been found. Painstaking checks and scans of systems and their planetary bodies had been checked and nothing had been found in those areas either. By the end of one week of operations an area of almost 40 square light years had been checked and nothing found by either the humans or their Jaffa Allies.

"Colonel, we're picking up something odd."

"Define odd."

"I'm not sure, Sir."

"Is it the Achilles?"

"No, Sir. It doesn't seem to be like anything we have on record."

"How long for us to get there at real space speeds?"

"About Six hours Sir."

"Anything from the rest of the SAR squadron."

"No Sir, however the Ha'tak 'Freedom's Choice' is in the area and approaching the disturbance, they should be there an hour or so before us."

"Plot a course and take us in."

"Aye, Sir."

The powerful Prometheus class Battlecruiser engaged it's ion based normal Space engines and pushed to the maximum rated speed the Prometheus was capable of before shutting down. It's engines off and coasting along on pure inertia, the ship could theoretically go much faster but it's capped speed was for two main reasons. One was the fact that the construction of the Prometheus Class was only rated to a certain speed in real space. The second and possibly most important was the relativistic effects on the small warship- the increase in speed could cause the ship to lose time to the Einsteinian effect of Space/Time.

Midrange Base  
Beta Durani  
Psi Corps Arrival – 03:00 hrs

The days since the Achilles' interment at Beta Durani had been filled with horror stories across the entire line, where fleets of Earth Alliance warships that had been patrolling the front lines, reinforcing stations and colonies had been all but annihilated. More than two hundred ships and three colonies had been destroyed. Every man woman and child had been brutally killed in the attacks. Now close to twenty million men humans had been lost in the war.

"General, we're receiving a message from Earthdome, we've lost contact with two more DSR posts and one long range base. The Minbari are hitting harder and faster with more ships than before."

"I think we've pissed them off."

"You think they know about the Achilles, Sir?"

"If they knew anything about the Achilles we would have been attacked by now so odds on the Minbari know something is out there but not what it is. But considering they lost so many ships so close to Earth Alliance space I'd guess they think they can find whatever it is out here."

"Aye, Sir."

"Sir, they seem to be taking out anything between the them and the Midrange bases. It's possible that we will be the next target."

"Understood XO. It's how they know where the hell we are that bothers me."

Hague turned to the station's head of ship construction, the older man stood straight and powerfully built. The man was a lifer and was an officer in good standing across the entire Alliance. His abilities were by no means indicative of his rank as the man was still a Chief petty Officer after almost thirty years in Earthforce.

"Status on the Achilles."

"Not good, Sir. Most of their damaged systems and hull damage can be repaired using the newest spec components for the Omegas but it will take time. Their refusal to allow us access to their most critical systems means we wont know if and when we can help to rebuild them."

"Time to full flight capability?"

"A week Sir, maybe more. She's space worthy but most of her systems are in need of serious repair, once we've sorted out the production lines the weapons and armour should be easy enough to replicate."

"Carry on then. Chief."

"Aye. Sir."

"Sir, we've a report from the EA Atchisson, they will arrive in three hours, with the Psi Corps team aboard." The Comms officer reported

"Great-that's all we need."

"Sir, the Psi Corps have no jurisdiction with the Achilles, if they attempt to take the tech information from the Achilles Crew that could ruin the rapport we have and lose us the tech advantages we may get from them," the chief said.

"Agreed. Fortunately they know about the Corps on the orders of Earth Force Command."

"Good."

Overhead the lights flashed and the claxons sounded as the 1st officer's voice came over the overhead speakers to every section on the station.

"Incoming ships. All hands battle stations."

Both Officers made for their respective positions, one to command and one to the Omega Dockyard, the station went into lockdown as every vacuum door and Airlock closed down and pressurized to pre set patterns to minimise damage to the hull.

Meanwhile across the entire system, thousands of officers, crewmen, deck hands and pilots took to their positions as fighters and warships broke dock and pulled into formation with already ready ships. Nova Dreadnaughts, Hyperion Cruisers, Corvettes and Frigates as well as dozens of squadrons of Starfuries both Nova and Aurora classes scattered around pulled to massed groups.

"Nautilus to Durani Station, confirmed. We have incoming vessels approaching the station, scanners read approximately thirty four ships. No IFF signals present."

"Nautilus, Durani Station proceed on attack vector, we don't know what's out there, continue transmitting scanner records."

"Sir, the unknown ships have disappeared from our scanners."

"Shit, Durani Station. Minbari forces are inbound, repeat Minbari forces are inbound. Sensor echoes have faded, task force is scattering."

"Durani Station to all personnel. Minbari fleet inbound."

Those positions that were not already committed to defence were filled quickly and every station and planetary defence post went on the highest of alerts. The minefields were alert their scanning systems looking for any possible sign that the Minbari were close. Defence Satellites and massed fighter squadrons took up their positions well away from the firing arcs of the station's fixed defences, backing up the already formidable defences stood a dozen half finished warships from the construction slips.

Omega Dock Six.  
Same time

"All hands, Battlestations."

"What we got, Major?"

"Colonel, we have a Minbari battle fleet incoming, Earth alliance forces are attempting to take them on."

"Numbers?"

"Thirty Six Minbari ships, sixty Earth Alliance ships plus the static fortifications, not enough against the Minbari forces."

"Ready the ship for immediate departure."

"Ma'am we are not in any shape to fight against the power these ships represent."

"I realise that XO, but I'm not going to sit here while people out there die, now status report."

"The ship is at sixty percent capability, we have ninety percent sublight power and we've repaired the breaches, however the railguns and missile launchers are totally disabled, all weapons had been removed for damage control and repairs. Armour is still thin around the damaged sections and shields are down."

"Comms and Sensors?"

"Both fully operational."

"Break dock and prepare for manoeuvring."

"Yes, Sir."

The Prometheus class vessel broke dock and headed towards the closed doors of the pressurised dock, already the life support systems were pumping out the atmosphere of the dock. Within minutes the emergency dump was complete and the small battle cruiser made its way out of the cavernous bay.

Its scanners and ECM fully operational the Achilles could see the entirety of the battle as it began, the overwhelming forces arrayed against the Earthforce ships was stunning. Within the first few minutes of combat the forward fighter squadrons and initial wave of ships had been all but obliterated by the Minbari.  
A successive wave of defending ships was readying itself for the Minbari advance, fighter and ship-fired missiles had already been launched in a saturation attack but it was unlikely they would hit anything thanks to the Minbari ECM and fighter support. However things were not going to go their way for long if the Achilles could help it.

"Open a channel to the lead ship of both groups."

"Open, Ma'am."

"This is the USAF Achilles to Minbari task force and EA Nautilus- please respond."

"We've got a response from the EA ship Ma'am nothing; from the Minbari."

"Colonel, I hope you have something that can help us here."

"Captain I need you and your ships to pull away from the front line and closer to the Shipyards. Let the fixed defences take the punishment for now."

"What, we can't…"

"Please Captain, this may save your ships and crew."

"I sure as hell hope you know what your doing."

"Hail the Minbari again."

"No response."

"Comms, set up a link between our sensors and the communications channels and ready them for transmission to all Earth alliance ships in the area, Captain have your ships link up the same way and ready your ships to receive targeting data on Minbari targets."

"We've got you Achilles, good luck. Nautilus out."

"Hail them once more and then put me on."

"Aye Ma'am, you're on."

"Minbari ship, you don't know us or what we are capable of. Please answer or we will take it as a hostile action and assist the Earth Alliance forces against you. We are aware of your ships and their strengths and weaknesses- the battle your last force that attacked us was enough to show us that."

On the monitors surrounding the forward of the bridge the crew could see the entire force all but stop in their tracks as the Minbari received the Achilles' transmission. If the Minbari could go be said to be shocked then this was what the Achilles could see.

"We're receiving a transmission. It's from the Minbari Flagship."

"Sensors, ready tactical data, comms ready transmission and put the Minbari through."

The screens changed from the assembled fleets at long range to a face, the bone crested visage of a Minbari, unlike the last time the scene behind him was dark as if he was in an unlit room instead of a bridge.

"What do you know of our destroyed brethren?"

"I thought that would get your attention. Now, whom am I addressing?"

"Satai Hedronn of the Warrior Caste, Commanding Officer of the Drala Fi Battle fleet."

"Colonel Joanna Taylor of the United States Air Force, Commanding officer of the Achilles."

"You are human, yet you are not like the humans we have met in battle before."

"That's correct, it's difficult to explain but we are not part of the Earth Alliance."

"But you were willing to destroy our ships."

"No exactly. Both times we have encountered your vessels the Captains have fired on us first. We disabled each vessel we came across but in turn each vessel was destroyed by their crews or the actions of their other ships. We have not destroyed any ship that we have engaged."

"So you destroyed both the Blood of Valen task force and the Shal'avi. Leave the system now and we will not destroy you. Come across my forces again and we will destroy your ship for the murder of our brothers."

"Hey, hey, hey, what the hell, your ships fired on us and we defended ourselves."

"That is why we will allow you to leave the system unharmed."

"And the rest of the system?"

"Everything will be cleansed free of the barbarian scum known as mankind."

"You are aware that the death of your leader was an accident, these people had no part of what happened. Some of them weren't even part of Earthforce at the time."

The Minbari was getting annoyed at the tone that this little human female was taking with him. It was very possible that they were not associated with the Earthers but they were human and may just be attempting to save those that they associated themselves with. The Humans had murdered the greatest of them and must die, the loss of so many ships in the last six months of war had pushed them further and further on to destroy the Earthers before they and their kind could do any more damage to their people or the order of things.

"Leave now or be destroyed with the rest of these vermin."

The line cut off as the Minbari ships turned back to the retreating line of Human ships. Two of the Massive Sharlin class ships and three of the escorts however headed inwards towards the shipyards ready to hit the fixed defences and the Achilles.

"Looks like some of them don't care if we leave or not."

"Well, let's not keep them waiting, comms open up on all frequencies- transmit targeting data on all Minbari ships to all Earthforce ships and defences, lets see how these bastards do when they are up against equals."

EA Midwinter  
Hyperion Refit

The Hyperion cruiser had for years been the benchmark of the Earthforce navy. Before the arrival of the Nova class, the Heavy cruisers had been at the forefront of all naval actions and exploration along the alliance's frontier, now with the Minbari War in full swing they were the most numerous of the front line battle units.

Unfortunately the smaller warships were no match for any Minbari ship of the line and an entire wing of warships could be reduced to scrap within minutes. The Midwinter class refit was the most advanced of the ships in service but not even the newest and most successful advances could help the cruisers survive the massacre of the Earthforce Naval units.

-Until today.

"Minbari ships coming in, visual scans confirm ten Sharlin class, two dozen frigates and smaller… What the hell?"

"What is it?"

"We're receiving computer information on all frequencies, we have confirmed targeting info on all Minbari warships, fighters and frigates coming in fast and hot. We can see them."

"Unbelievable! All ships this is the Midwinter, find a target and hit it, Starfuries and interceptor grids, take down those fighters. All ships fire at will."

"Weapons stations firing."

From thirty ships, twenty weapons satellites and over a hundred fighters a massive barrage of plasma, pulse missile and interceptor fire opened up on the Minbari phalanx.

The Minbari believing in their invulnerability against the humans did absolutely nothing.

The survivors of the DSR post and the evac fleet had seen the effect that the Achilles had had against the Minbari ships, fighters and capital ship had both died under the guns of the tiny Battle cruiser. However even that sight paled against the massive collection of firepower arrayed against the dozens of Minbari ships that had attacked the Midrange base.

The dozens of fighters already on their way to hit the lumbering Earth ships and their fighter escort were caught with accurate bursts from Starfury pulse cannons and interceptors from the warships around them. Every Nial in the attack line ceased to exist as explosion after explosion claimed entire flights and then squadrons, within seconds none of the agile and dangerous Minbari fighters were left.

The rest of the fleet had pushed forward to find the range of their weapons against the Minbari; their cannons had comparable range and damage potential even against the fusion weapons of the massive Angelfish-shaped cruisers. This was evident as the targeting locks transmitted to the Nova Class Dreadnaughts was in turn made into accurate fire from ten of the ship's sixteen double plasma cannons.

The backup groups of Corvettes and cruisers locked onto the smaller frigates and almost as one launched rail gun rounds and plasma fire into the forward section of the Tinashi ships and secondary wings of combat fighters.

The devastation was incredible, fourteen Minbari ships impacted with the wave of plasma weapons, pulse cannons and rail gun rounds fired by the ships of the Durani defence force. Crystalline Armour shattered under the impact of the weapons while the interior sections burnt out as the plasma scorched through the armour and into the interior of the ships.

Entire sections of the Minbari ships just ceased to exist as drive fins and weapons pods were ripped off or shattered under the strain of the immense bombardment. Three of the Sharlins just disappeared under the concentration of fourteen Earthforce warships and OSATs. The fighters were routed and many retreated back to the relative safety of the capital ships.

Quickly overcoming their shock the Minbari ships came in fast attempting to knock out as many Earth ships as they could, the damaged and dying ships attempting to retreat from the field of battle.

Durani Base  
Command and Control Plotting stations

"General, the Achilles targeting data is confirmed, our ships have targets."

A cheer rang across the entire base as they saw multiple enemy units drop off the screen as the Earthforce ships and static defences opened up, missiles and energy beams crossed in the blink of an eye.

"Report."

"Nine enemy ships taken out Sir, six more damaged and retreating. Fury squadrons are harassing the damaged ships closest and the enemy fighters have been reduced to ten percent by defensive measures."

"Sir, we've got multiple ships approaching the Omega Docks."

"Any ships in the area?"

"Nothing that can stop them, Sir."

"Get anything you can over there, we lose the Achilles we lose this engagement."

"Aye, Sir."

"Sir, the Nova X is at fifty percent completion her forward weapons are in place as are the basic manoeuvring systems." The Xo came up to the command section, "She may not be much but she has much more than any other ships we have."

"Can we get her out in time?"

"Possibly, Sir. The fixed defences can hold off the Minbari a short time but the Omega Section's defences are not to the level of the rest of the dockyards, but they should hold for long enough."

"Send the signal, get the Nova out of dock and into escort with the Achilles."

"Aye, Sir."


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve  
"The force No the Schwartz!"

USAF Achilles  
Beta Durani Shipyards.  
Five Minutes into the engagement.

The Achilles sat alone in the midst of the clustered shipyards only a few dozen kilometres from the Omega dock she had been seconded to earlier that week, her powerful communications and sensor systems speaking to the massed ships and stations of the Beta Durani system.

However she was not alone, early in the engagement five of the thirty-six ships of the Minbari force had split from the main fleet and headed towards the small ship. If it was true that the Minbari ships had been killed by this new warship then it would be destroyed and it's hulk dragged back as a trophy for the warriors of the Minbari. Five ships against a crippled ship even with its advanced shielding and sensors would be enough. Nothing the human ship could do would be of consequence to the Warrior Caste's finest ships.

Unbeknownst to the Minbari the uppermost dock of the Omega complex had the most up to date warship of human construction available, while much of the ship was little more than a skeleton with thrusters and the head of a Nova class warship culminating in four of the newest acquisitions of the Alliance.

The docks main doors had opened up allowing the partially finished 'destroyer' to move out into the stars. The ship was massive almost as long and as broad as the Minbari Sharlins but not nearly as tall. The ship's main habitable areas- the rotating personnel section was not yet attached and as such the skeleton like structure and it's energy conduits were exposed to the outside.

Pushing it's way slowly out on its station keeping thrusters the Nova-X class dreadnaught broke free and into the vacuum of space. All along the ship the few installed weapons systems and defences were activated allowing the ship to see the full spectrum of action. The Minbari ships were increasing speed and were getting much closer to the small Achilles, the Prometheus class ship backing away while trying to keep the targeting information transmitting.

EA Nova-X  
En route to the Achilles

"Systems check."

"Generators at maximum power, sensor systems tied into the communications system and confirmed Minbari ships lock."

"Six months and we can finally see the bastards."

"Yes, Sir."

"Weapons systems?"

"Interceptors are active and main forward weapons ready, without the rest of the ships system installed we should be able to keep up continuous fire from both weapons systems."

"You sure this is going to work?"

"Nope, but its better than nothing."

"The Narns had better be right about these things."

"Yes, Sir."

A third crewmember spoke up, "Sir, approaching the Achilles. They're pulling back away from the Minbari."

"Get them on the comm."

"Aye, Sir."

"Achilles this is Nova X. Are you alright?"

"This is Achilles, we're intact but we've few weapons available. I hope you've got something on that thing to help."

"You give us the targets we'll give you the cover."

"Sounds good Nova X, transmitting data now."

The data from the Achilles scrolled along the monitors of the Nova's bridge, unlike the longer range data that the fleet were receiving the short range information allowed the Nova to see precisely what they needed to hit the Sharlins with pinpoint attacks. The scans were not perfect and some of the Minbari ships were still cloaked in the Jammer fields but enough was available for kill shots. 

"Ready HLCs for continuous fire, HPCs to intercept and saturation attacks."

"Weapon systems online. Heavy laser cannons are on hot standby. Heavy pulse cannons are charging. We're ready as we'll ever be."

"Sir, the other yards are sending a mix match of fighters from the construction lines. We've got about thirty fighters coming in."

"Let's hope it's enough."

"Aye, Sir."

The multimillion-ton warship pulled up close to the Achilles' position, it's main weapons systems active and ready. Already the massive battle between the ships of the defence force and the Minbari attack group had begun. The scanner systems of both ships were picking up the immense conflagration of plasma fire from the Earth ships. The shock for the Nova X ship was the fact that several Minbari heavy ships just ceased to exist as accurate fire stripped armour and bit deep into the Sharlin's hull.

"Did I just see that right?"

"Uhh, what did you see, Sir?"

"I just saw our ships wipe out half a dozen bonehead ships in seconds."

"Then you saw right Sir. Minabri ships are being targeted by every ship in the system."

"What are the incoming ships doing?"

"They are slowing, Sir. Seems that they don't know what's going on either."

"Time to firing range?"

"At their current speed, three minutes."

"Ready shooting solutions, I want those things taken out FAST."

"Aye, Sir."

The two groups of ships steadily moved away from the main fight, the unshielded and undergunned Achilles and the unfinished Nova retreating from the five incoming Minbari warships while the slowing Minbari ships still came closer.

USAF Achilles.

"You better have good news for me, Chief."

"Sorry Colonel, the shields are still dead and the hyperdrive is still offline. The weapons systems well you already know about."

"What About the S.O.D?"

"She's ready to go but the sensors aren't sensitive enough to get a good lock onto the Minbari, we'll hit them but it'll be hit and miss whether we'll do enough damage."

"Get it ready anyway, we may have to use it. The sensors will be enough- if we have to we'll use the fighters to triangulate."

"Aye."

"Helm, keep us away from the Sharlins at any cost. Comms, keep the data stream going."

"Aye, Sir."

"Aye, Sir."

"Major Launch the remaining fighters."

"Aye."

The hanger doors of the Prometheus class vessel pulled open allowing the Six remaining F-302 class fighters to egress from the ship's interior, unlike before however these fighters were armed with a single Anti ship Naquadah enhanced anti-ship weapon and four enhanced Sidewinder Air to Air Missiles.

It was unlikely that these few fighters could do anything serious to the Minbari force baring down on them but it may make the other ship pause for a few minutes, giving the Allied ships time to regroup and assist the two vessels.

"Alpha One to all units, we go in full speed and hit any fighters in the way, you get a shot at one of the momma's, take it down."

The five remaining fighters of the battlecruiser's reduced squadron responded in the affirmative and engaged their main drives heading towards the enemy fighter squadrons. The six large fighters were joined by the incoming Starfuries squadrons reinforcing their flank and surrounding them on all sides.

"Omega Leader to Alpha Leader, we've got your flanks."

"Alpha Leader to Omega Leader, good to see you. Take the Nials we've got the big bastards."

"Roger that Alpha Leader. Good hunting."

The incoming fighters watched as the five huge warships destroyed the fixed defences of the shipyards, the pulse cannons and Interceptors in this area were much less than around the Durani station as the shipyards were seen as expendable in the case of attack by the Minbari.

The few positions available fired on and hit the Minbari vessels but those few hits did little to hold the five ships back before they were destroyed by the fire of the Sharlin cruisers,. The interceptors were more successful and took out a few fighters but not enough as the agile craft destroyed the turrets.

The way was now open for the Minbari ships to attack and destroy the shipyards and most importantly in their eyes the small warship responsible for the demise of over a dozen of their ships. Fighters pulled up into their squadrons while the warships stood ready to take down the two earth ships ahead of them.

Alpha Leader  
Aurora Class Starfury.

"All units go to missiles."

While the actual sensors of the Starfuries could not see the incoming Minbari fighters the sensors of the Achilles could and this allowed the earth fighters to 'see what they were aiming at. The Minbari fighters were much faster and powerful than the earth built craft but the tables we almost equal now, the computers aboard the Starfuries could extrapolate a targeting solution on the Nials and allow their pilots to hit their enemies.

"Alpha One, Fox two."

"Gamma Ten, Fox two"

From thirty fighters anti fighter missiles jumped from their hardpoints and accelerated towards the Minbari fighters, however the Minbari having seen the immense casualties their brethren in the main force had taken broke from their assault on the main force.

The missiles however followed the crazily jinking fighters most impacting with their targets, while others their locks broken immediately found the nearest targets and followed it instead. These missiles were followed up by dual missile attacks from the six F302s each modified sidewinder finding their locks and immolating the Nials, forty fighters had been destroyed within minutes allowing the faster SGC vessels to target the large Tinashi frigates.

"Achilles this is Alpha One, all fighters are engaging enemy targets."

"Alpha one, we have you on sensors you are authorised to release."

"Alpha One to Achilles, roger that, Fox Three,"

Six Naquada enhanced tactical nuclear missiles sped away from the undercarriages of the F-302s, counter fire erupted from the trio of frigates targeting the incoming ordinance. Multiple salvos of missiles from the Starfuries came in with the Nukes giving the Minbari more targets than they could manage.

The missiles did their job as four of the six Nuclear missiles impacted against the skins of the three warships, two of the frigates exploded as the reactors were exposed and went critical, the third frigate took the explosive warhead on the very front of the hull exploding on contact.

The thick crystalline armour, one of the greatest and most advanced of Minbari construction vapourised under the multiple hundred megatons of explosive force, the explosion ripped into the hull down close to three hundred metres annihilating everything in its way. The ships twisted in place as the explosive force died away leaving the vessel with barely two thirds of its length remaining.

The remaining squadrons of fighters angered at the loss of so many warriors responded with their own fusion cannon fire towards the Earthforce spacecraft, most fighters managed to jink away from the incoming fire their superior agility coming into play for the first time in any real engagement.

"Alpha One to all fighters pull back to the Achilles. Omega One thanks for your help."

"Omega one acknowledges. You guys get back we'll keep the Nials off you."

The six F302 fighters peeled away from the incoming Minbari fighters and turned tail accelerating back towards their carrier ship. A quick refuel and resupply and they would be out again to combat the overwhelming numbers of fighters coming in.

Meanwhile the Starfuries had pulled into wing pairs and started their own version of 'Hunt the Wabbit', the superior agility of the 'Fury and firepower of two fighters would make short work of the larger fighters now that they could accurately hit the Minbari even through their 'Jammers'.

"All units, stay out of their front arcs, hit when you can then bug out, no heroics out here, I for one want to survive this."

"Gamma three to Omega one, Sir, some of us have missiles remaining do we use them now or wait for Alpha squadron to return?"

"Gamma Three use what you got when you can. All units with missiles do the same, these bastards are going down HARD."

Cheers and war cries sounded across the comm channels. Omega One didn't have the heart to chastise his wing about the breach of radio protocol. The deaths of hundreds of pilots would be avenged this day and he for one was determined to take at least one of the boneheaded freaks down even if he had to ram the bastard. With his own cry echoing in his ears he and his wingman shot forward into the melee that was the Minbari/Earthforce battle, the first battle amongst equals in this war.

EA Nova X.  
Advanced Destroyer

"Sir, the Starfuries are taking a toll on the enemy fighters."

"The Cap ships?"

"The third frigate and both cruisers are operational and are approaching optimum firing range."

"The range of the heavy laser cannon is the same correct?"

"Aye, Sir."

"We may only get the once chance at this, recheck the systems and ready to fire on target Master One."

"Aye, Sir."

The two turreted heavy laser cannons powered up, their armoured casings glowing slightly as the energy from the ship's immense fusion reactors was fed into preferred chambers, the secondary pulse cannons were already locked onto the other ships however it's shorter range would not come into effect quite yet.

"Achilles, this is Nova X, we have target positive on the closest Sharlin, be ready to move quickly if you have to get out of the area."

"Nova this is Achilles we confirm that, we've got the other two."

"Achilles, Nova what do you mean you have the others?"

"Nova, Achilles. Watch and learn my friend."

The Battle for Durani station was only minutes old but already both sides had taken casualties. The thirty-six warships of the Minbari, thinking they were immune to the technology of the Earth Alliance had gone in without a care believing their thick armour and ECM technology would stop any lucky hits the Earthers got. They had had a rude awakening. After the first volley had impacted, the Minbari had attacked with characteristic ferocity and had quickly sliced into the fixed emplacements and the larger warships. The nova class ships were the only vessels in the assembled Earth Alliance fleet that could take more than a single hit from a fusion cannon and while a half dozen corvettes and cruisers had exploded or been sent spinning off the Dreadnaughts had continued firing. Their fire had been backed up by the OSATs and defence platform seeded along the defence perimeter and more Minbari ships had died to the overwhelming amount of incoming fire. To the shock of every Minbari in the fleet the Earthers had been able to hit them and with their superior numbers devastate the fleet.

Fusion cannons mixed with neutron cannon fire raking the Earth lines. Fighters from both sides spun in and out of firing arcs of the larger ships that were trying to destroy the other. The massive number of Starfuries wiped out the last few Nials still in the area.

EA Nimitz  
Nova Class Dreadnaught  
EA Flagship

"Fleet Status."

"Starfury Squadrons still at ninety percent, the Minbari fighters are down to about a squadron's worth and dropping, we've lost twelve ships mostly smaller units to the Minbari's nineteen, we got the drop on them, Sir."

"Excellent, open hailing frequencies, demand the Minbari Surrender."

"Sir?"

"The Minbari are beaten and they know it, maybe we can 'persuade' them to stand down, it's that or be destroyed."

"Aye, Sir."

The response from the warships was evident as the Drala Fi and its surviving consorts concentrated fire on the closest of the Earth Dreadnaughts turning three into fiery hulks within a few seconds, the earth ships responded once more with a barrage of every weapon at their disposal, however the range had reduced to such that the Hyperions and Olympus class ships were able to open up with their shorter ranged weaponry. The fire slacked off from the Minbari as more ships were crippled by the Earth vessels.

On the other side of the equation more and more of the smaller human units were going down under intensely accurate fire from the Minbari ships. The Novas and Osats were also taking losses but for every Dreadnaught destroyed at least one Minbari ship was destroyed.

The Minbari could not keep up the Loss/Loss ratio the two sides had running, the Earth ships were just too numerous and their fixed defences were too powerful especially now that the humans had managed to pierce the Minbari jamming systems. Now for the first time in almost one thousand years the Minbari Warrior caste were forced to call a retreat to all their remaining ships.

EA Nova X  
Same time.

"Enemy ships coming in, range in twelve seconds."

"Ready heavy cannons, interceptor grid to anti-weapons suppression."

"All systems ready, Sir.

"Range in three… two… one…"

The Minbari Sharlin class vessels entered their optimum engagement range against the human built ships, their fusion cannons ready to fight. The two ships were practically unarmed and this battle would be short and the blood of the many spilt by the Achilles would be avenged.

Twin beams pulsed out from the cannons of both ships attempting to hit the Achilles. The faster and much more agile Prometheus class moved away from the two warcruisers with only a slight glancing hit damaging the rear of the starship. With the Achilles out of the way the two heavy laser cannons, prototype weapons bought from the Narn and engineered by the Humans opened up on the forward Sharlin.

The powerful energy beams bit deep into the hull of the Minbari ship destroying the weapons ports along an entire flank of the Sharlin, the second blast penetrated even deeper and explosively decompressed the vessel's hanger bay. The Minbari ship banked away from the Nova attempting to get a clear shot on the prototype ship, a single Neutron cannon was unmasked and fired on the Nova.

The heavy armour of the Nova X was thicker and stronger than even that of the original novas had been. Te head and weapons were fully covered by this armour and so all but shrugged off the raking beam. The heavy cannons of the Nova opened up time and again all the while taking more damage from the Minbari ship, something had to give and in the end even with its upgraded armour and powerful weapons. The Nova X was just not ready for combat.

The fire from the fusion and neutron cannons had battered the thick and durable construction of the front end of the Nova X to the point that entire chunks were being blown off, the laser cannons were all but annihilated as the neutron fire found its mark and blew it apart.

The Last hurrah from the Nova came from the less powerful pulse cannons the last dregs of its power cells threw a barrage of pulses at the incoming warships causing more and more damage to the already crippled starboard side, the pulses drove deep into the damaged portions of the ship destroying delicate components and crewmen alike.

The Nova's systems finally failed as the ship power system shut down, the massive modified dreadnaught started to list its powerless state a prime target for the Sharlin. The Minbari ship closed for the Coup De Grace against it's opponent it's crew grudgingly admitting that this ship had given them a good fight.

The Minbari ship fired.

At the same time as its flank was hit by multiple strikes from Railguns and pulse cannons.

The Sharlin as jolted out of position causing it's fire to go wild and strike the crippled Tinashi frigate, from behind the massive dockyard structure a pair of Olympus corvettes continued to fire as they bounced the much larger ship, the projectiles and plasma fire pitted the armour and dove further into the cracks caused by the Nova's weapons.

The barrage was successful and the singularity that powered the Minbari cruiser was forced to shutdown leaving the damaged vessel powerless and drifting, its weapons dying and systems shutting down. The manically manoeuvring USAF ship slowed and righted itself well out of range of the Minbari's weapons systems.

"Achilles to Nova X, come in." Comms tried "No response."

"Anything at all?" Taylor asked.

"No emanations from their systems, power's offline. Sir, their fusion reactors were all that were powering them, without them they have no life support."

"Sir the Olympus ships are coming in they're taking up escort positions with us, they say they're ready to assist."

"Negative tell them to get the crew out of the Nova and fast." Colonel Taylor ordered.

"Also contact the Omega yards tell them the Nova's crew needs immediate medical evac from the area." Davis told the comms officer

"They've got maybe twenty minutes of air but the heating will go out the window, damned quick," the sensor officer informed them

"Tell them to hurry." Taylor replied.

"Sir, the Minbari ships are pulling back. It looks like the flagship has ordered a retreat."

"Not this time, increase speed. Get us in range."

"Aye."

"Weapons?"

"Aye Sir, the main guns are ready."

"Target the operational Sharlin first the other two aren't going anywhere."

"Positive lock Sir," said the sensor officer.

"We're in range."

"Weapon Charge at one hundred percent."

"Fire."

To be continued.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen  
"Ying Tong Diddle Eye Poe"

EarthDome  
Geneva  
That day.

The command centre of Earth force command was as busy as ever with the tactical data being sent every hour from the command bases in every system the EA occupied, the fleets and stations as they were an hour ago were all plotted. The loss of three entire battlefleets with the last week had put a strain on the forward bases; the loss of the DSR posts had been painful with their attendant ships and refugee units from destroyed task forces all gutted by the Minbari advance.

Now news of an attack on the Midrange base at Beta Durani had come though, the best guess had been the Minbri were at least a year from attacking the most hevily fortified systems the Alliance possessed, it was apparent that Durani was attacked for some reason or another.

"General."

"Senator Clark."

"I've heard a rumour about Beta Durani being under attack."

"Yes Sir, it is the Minbari have sent an assault fleet to destroy the Base and shipyards."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"They wouldn't have attacked the base for no reason, somehow they knew that ship was there, or found out about the prototypes."

"Its possible Sir, that they attacked purely because they could."

"Unlikely General, let me know the second we have any information about the battles."

"Aye Sir." Leftcourt said to the retreating back of the Senator, the senator was out of the doors within seconds.

"Wanker." A soft voice said quietly from one of the crewmen as a small ripple of laughter came from the others around him, the general didn't say anything. How could he it was the same thing going through his own mind.

"Anything from Bernard's or Durani Base."

"No Sir both are still out of contact, the last transmission from Durani said they were under attack from thirty plus warships and fighter cover, all ships had been dispatched to hold the line. The minefields didn't even come close to stopping the Minbari."

"We didn't expect them to, the losses they took at Bernard's star would have taught them that. Anything Else?"

"No Sir. The reinforcement fleet sent to Bernard's is still out of contact, we won't know until they jump insystem."

"Thank you, Captain."

The General sat down in his chair, the stress and fatigue he was feeling, mingled with hopelessness and anger that he couldn't do anything for the crews out their fighting and dying for the Alliance.

He could only hope help would somehow come around.

Unclaimed System  
Close to Centauri Space  
One day ago.

The Patrols around the borders of Centauri space had intensified since the start of the Earth/Minbari war, the Centauri were well known for being allies and friends to an extent with the humans and so the Centaurium had voted to increase patrols amongst their remaining system holdings.

The Primus Class vessel and it's six Vorchan escorts jumped into an unclaimed system not far from the Centauri Border and close to what was considered by most to be Earth Alliance claimed space. The task force was dedicated to defending the area they were posted to from all comers be they League, Raider and Gods forbid the Minbari.

"All units have succeeded transition from Hyperspace, Sir."

"Good, contact the nearest long range sensor post, let them know we're on station."

"Aye, Sir."

"Sir, long range scanners are picking up something strange."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure what it is Sir, it's not on any records we have."

"How long for us to get there at real space speeds?"

"About eight hours at cruising speed, Sir."

"Very well take us they, order the rest of the Squadron to continue the patrol, we'll meet up with them when we can."

"Yes, Sir."

The six smaller cruisers broke away from the Battlecruiser and continued on leaving the larger ship to investigate the unusual phenomenon.

Durani Station  
Omega Dockyards.

"Fire."

The long barrel of the Asgard based weapons system pulsed with energy and released a single pulse of energy at the Minbari ship in front of the Achilles, within the blink of an eye the pulse impacted the hull of the Sharlin.

The pulse entered the ship melting through the armour like it was tin foil and blowing out the other side of the ship destroying everything and anything in its way. The damage taken by the warcruiser was horrendous. An entire section, fully a third of the entire ship exploded outwards from the impact point, slabs of hull and armour melted or vaporised while more was sent spinning into the void ripped off of the hull by the immense energies released by the meeting of crystalline armour and Asgard based weapons.

The damage triggered off secondary explosions across the entire hull. Weapons systems exploded causing more damage to the still pristine lower hull sections, the internals superheated turning the crew into ash and causing more ruptures across the hull. The atmosphere still inside the ship was scorched away causing even more internal explosions, bulkheads and walls shattered under the heat of the boiling atmosphere the thick armour holding the heat inside the ship's hull.

The entire action took less than three seconds, the energy of the pulse started to dissipate as the ship started to drift in front of the surprised crews of both the Achilles and the Olympus corvettes. The ship was a sorry sight as now the energy from the pulse and the primary explosions had settled down, a few secondary explosions caused some damage to the pitted hull armour while plasma fires from the ship's compromised power systems cast their light over the powerless ship.

The hull of the Minbari vessel was gone, from the forward tip of the main cannons to the rear fin the hull had been shattered and blown apart by the bolt. The fins and some small sections of the lower hull were reasonably intact with breaks and ruptures seen across both sides.

On the bridge of the USAF Achilles the crew of the battle cruiser sat and watched the massive cruiser all but fall apart from the blast fired by their Asgard based weapon. Silence and shock were the main emotions running through the heads of every crewman that saw the carnage they had wrought on the Minbari ship.

"Sensors," Taylor whispered.

"Nothing Sir," the dumbstruck officer replied. "The entire ship's dead, no life signs, no EM radiation nothing. "Even the reactors are gone."

"Comms, contact Durani station tell them the Minbari ships are down, three crippled ships to be removed."

"Aye, Sir."

"Sir," Davis said. "The Minbari are still withdrawing, we could go after them."

"No, not yet Major, the main weapon works but we're still weeks from battleworthy. The Minbari have taken severe losses today, they won't be back for a while."

"Aye."

"Sir, message from the Nimitz, system is secure. The Minbari have jumped. They thank us for our assistance with the Minbari. The remaining ships crews all want to buy every crewmember a drink." He laughed.

"Signal confirmation and we'll take them up on the offer once the Achilles is combat ready."

"Aye, Sir."

The Achilles pulled away from the carnage, the three pitted, burnt and crippled wrecks spun in place where they were destroyed by the four warships. The Olympus corvettes held position flanking the Achilles as it retreated back to its pressurised slipway before leaving to return the remaining crew of the Nova to Durani station for medical treatment.

At the other end of the base the surviving members of the defence fleet were harrying the remaining Minbari ships in the system, the numbers had been cut to less than a sixth their number with forty ships still remaining on the side of the Earth forces.

The humans had been lucky and the overconfidence of the Minbari ships had sealed their fate, the massacre of almost half the ships with in minutes had allowed the humans free reign over the engagement leading to the loss of the battle for the Minbari warrior. The massive fire from so many heavy weapons had made their loss a forgone conclusion leaving now only five ships left to try and escape.

Three of the heavily damaged ships were burnt down by the continuing fire from the ships they were trying to evade, one Sharlin taking a missile strike destined for the Drala Fi. The last two ships, a heavily damaged Tinashi and the almost crippled Shargotti left the system through a jump point and fled.

The First Battle for Beta Durani was over.

Durani Station.  
Post Battle + 1hr

The station was overwhelmed with request for medical and repair assistance from the surviving ships of the defence fleet. The ground based hospitals and station based infirmaries were all packed to the rafters with the wounded and ill. However even that wasn't enough, the few ships that had intact and ready sickbays both commissioned and under construction were all under use by the medical corps.

The fact that the Minbari ships left few survivors once they had attacked a ship was one of the few things that kept the medical teams from being totally overwhelmed by casualties from the battle, as it was even the damaged ships had immense casualties and every ship was damaged in some way.

A sixty-ship force had been stripped to forty ships by a force half their size. Fighter and fixed defensive weapons had taken the brunt and had taken many more casualties than the capital ships. Now only a few ships were even still in combat order with fewer crews to take them out.

But for the first time since the start of the war the Earth forces had struck a stunning blow to the naval forces of the Minbari. While they couldn't have done it alone the fact that they even had a chance now sent the humans in the system into an almost frenzied fervour.

The war was going badly that much was certain but the Minbari's losses on all fronts within the last week should hold them back for at least a while. Information from the Barnard's star station was encouraging; they had held back the Minbari time and again for over a month.

The losses at Barnard station were critical but the fifty ships the Minbari had lost combined with forty from the actions of the Achilles and the Earth forces at DSR4 and Durani Station would make the Minbari pause for a few days- enough for at least some of their nearly completed warships to be commissioned and updated with the new sensor systems from the Achilles.

"General."

"What is it Commander?"

"Sir the Achilles and Nova X crews have returned to the Omega Bays, all are accounted for with only a few minor casualties."

"Good, what about the Omega X?"

"The Corvettes are towing her back in Sir. She's badly damaged but salvageable."

"Hell of a day, Commander."

"Aye Sir, but we stopped the bastards before they could destroy us."

"Possibly, and it's possible they will come with even more ships next time and we won't stop them."

"Aye, Sir."

"What about the crippled wrecks at the Omega bays and at the Engagement point?"

"The wrecks at the engagement point won't be of much use, Sir. Most are damaged beyond any use and those that weren't exploded, some sort of self destruct. However the three at the Omega bays are another thing."

"How?"

"The three were heavily damaged by the Nova and the Achilles with some help from the corvettes and fighters but each is in some way useful." He brought up the information on the General's wall screen.

The three ships came up on the screen the blackened ends of two of the ships gave testament to the damage they had taken while a third in what seemed to be pristine condition rotated in place showing its badly scarred side.

"The Tinashi was hit early on but only a third of the hull was destroyed, anything centreline down is salvageable, weapons and armour and some other systems. The two Sharlins are different, the heavily damaged one has almost intact engine systems and the twin rear neutron weapons are damaged but salvageable. The last one you'll like, Sir."

The third Sharlin came up on the screen still turning in space.

"As far as we can tell the life support blew, everyone aboard was killed in seconds when the corvettes stuck the ship. With the exception of the areas hit by our ships, she's intact."

"Meaning…"

"Meaning Sir, we have everything, weapons, defences, engines, fighters, shuttles, the ship's database. And Sir we have a fully functional reactor to study as well."

"Who knows of this?"

"The salvage squad myself and you, Sir."

"No one else is to learn about any of this Commander, get me a coded transmission to Earthdome immediately."

"Aye, Sir."

If this was all true then the Intel grasped from the Minbari ship could be of immense value to the Alliance, as much as the technology offered to them by the Achilles was worth. With both the Minbari wouldn't stand a chance.

EarthDome  
General Lefcourt's office.  
Six hours post battle

General Leftcourt was pacing his office; there had been no response from with the reinforcements fleet or the shipyards at Beta Durani in almost twenty-four hours and the waiting was making him more that a little nervous. The base at Beta Durani was as heavily armed as any in the outer systems, but with the pure amount of firepower that had been arrayed against each destroyed base within the last week not even that may be enough.

With luck, the assistance from the Achilles crew might allow Earthforce some latitude when it came to later engagements. It was fortunate that their equipment could be replicated using standard EA technologies. The few systems they had full access too had been a windfall for the Alliance, with them the battlefield would be all but equal.

Except for the problems certain senators seemed to have with their new allies.

"General we have an incoming communication from Durani Base."

"Put it through." He turned to the monitor, "Dammit William what happened we've been trying to contact you for almost a day."

"General, a Minbari assault fleet numbering thirty six vessels attacked the station and the dockyards."

"My god, what's the damage?"

"Sir, we lost twenty ships and several small defensive Installations. Other ships were damaged in the attack."

"Dammit, we'll get more ships out to you soon, use anything you need to from the shipyards to bolster you defences."

"Aye, Sir…" The General seemed to be having problems getting something out. Lefcourt noticed this and asked what was the matter, had something else gone wrong?

"No, Sir, we had assistance from the Achilles and we drove off the Minbari. Sir, the Minbari retreated from the battle with only two heavily damaged ships left."

"What? Could you please say that again General"

"With the assistance given us from the Achilles we were able to see them. Sir, we got almost all of them. The two that got away are damaged and have no fighter cover."

"This is impossible."

"Sir, we've got the records to prove it, we're sending everything via hyperspace courier. This isn't something we can transmit."

"Agreed, send us the reports as soon as possible. Well done, General."

"Thank you Sir. One last thing an attack by the Nova and corvettes assisting the Achilles crippled two of the Minbari ships a Frigate and a War Cruiser, the Achilles destroyed one other Cruiser."

"How much can we get out of them?"

"Sir, you don't seem to understand, The warcruiser is almost intact."

"Intact, we have an intact Minbari warship."

"The Sharlin is almost intact Sir," he repeated. "Every system aboard is in working order as far as we can tell, her database is intact a well. It's an intel goldmine."

"Stay on the line, General. I'm ordering a reinforcement force to assist. We need that ship sent to Io station immediately. "

"Aye, Sir. "

"The Achilles?"

"They are intact Sir and alive, but they're still not ready for long range travel."

"Orders stand. General, give them all the help you can."

"Understood, Sir."

"Earthdome out."

Leftcourt sat back in his chair, he couldn't wait to see the records and reports on this battle. It wasn't everyday that you receive such a treasure trove of information. Twice in one week may seem excessive or what people used to call Deus Ex Machina but maybe just maybe someone out there was looking out for them.

Gods knows they needed the help.

"Communications get me the head of R&D."

"Aye, Sir."


	15. Chapter 14

"**Aye, Sir."**

**Chapter Fourteen.**

"**You though Jesus was a hippy…"**

Drala Fi

**Shargotti Class Warship**

**Thirty Hours Post Battle.**

Deep in the tides of hyperspace the colossal warship known as the Drala Fi was making its way back to friendly lines, the damage had taken from the battle was evident across both flanks of the ship. One of her two lower fins was missing from a direct hit by a small-scale explosive missile from a corvette while smaller pockmarks and tears from the plasma fire that had plastered it from the Earthforce ships.

The smaller Tinashi that had managed to escape with them had fallen back as her gravitational engines had failed and the ship had been caught by a tidal current pulling it even deeper into hyperspace and away from the much larger ship. The ship would never be seen again. No ship was ever recovered from hyperspace.

The engines of the Shargotti had been cripples as well with, damage to the fins and rear drive section. They were operational but at a very low power causing the Minbari vessel to travel in days what would have only taken hours under normal power.

The losses to the Earthers had been almost total with the battle. The Humans had been able to accurately hit every ship in the attack fleet even with their less advanced weapons. Somehow they had seen through the jammers the Minbari ships utilized and destroyed those ships with fewer losses than the Minbari would have thought possible.

The most surprising thing concerned the group detached to destroy the newest of the Earther's shipyards. They had been destroyed to a ship by a group of fighters and two unknown ships. How either had done so was beyond the ken of any of the surviving warriors of the Drala Fi. The view of a single bolt destroying an entire Sharlin had crushed moral on the ship's crew as much as the retreat had.

The losses on top of the destruction of the sixty ships by the human bases and against this new ship were enormous. While the fleet was many hundreds of ships strong the loss of almost one hundred in so short a time was startling. Some of the best and brightest of the warriors had been killed in the war against the barbarians, more so now that their ships had been able to lock onto the Minbari ships.

For the first time in one thousand years the Minbari found themselves facing the an enemy that could fight them one on one. The space and resources the Minbari commanded was much larger than the Earth Alliance could, but the Earth ships were big blocky monstrosities that could be built faster and in larger numbers. And if the news of the newest ships in their inventory were true then the Minbari may be up against true Equals.

"Shai Alyt, the Satai is awake and requests your presence immediately."

"Thank you."

The Shai Alyt left his command centre and headed to the Satai's quarters, his head still bandaged with smaller cut and bruises on his face and hand; injuries taken when his ship was hit by Earther weapons fire. He approached the closed door of the stateroom and keyed the controls opening up the door and letting the light seep into the darkness of the room.

On a bed in the centre of the room was Satai Hedronn, face pale and his headbone cracked in several places. The man had been under a station when it had fallen during the battle almost killing him straight out. Their doctors had done all they could to keep the warrior stable until they could get to a command station and the medical infirmaries there.

It was to little avail. The lone doctor approached the Shai Alyt and told him the news he had already guess. The man was dying of serious internal and external injuries. The Satai would not live long enough for help to arrive or for the ship to make it to a friendly system.

The doctor left through the door allowing the two warriors to speak in private.

"Shai Alyt."

"Satai, it is good to see you awake."

"Don't try to lighten this old friend, I can feel my end approaching."

"I will not live Hedronn. You are not well enough to survive the rest of the voyage back to our own space, your injuries are too severe."

"Thank you Sharonn, for treating me like a warrior."

"You have been an inspiration since the beginning Satai. You will be missed by all warriors regardless of rank or heritage."

"Sharonn, I wish for you to replace me as Warrior Satai of the Grey Council, this request is amongst my personal effects."

"I will try my best to succeed you Satai. I could never replace you."

"Thank you, old friend. What happened to the fleet?"

"Two of our ships made the return to hyperspace Satai, the rest were destroyed by the Earthers. We lost our escort soon afterwards as they drifted further into hyperspace. The Drala fi is now the only surviving vessel of the fleet."

"How did this happen?"

"The Earthers must have had help from somewhere, perhaps this new ship that destroyed the 'Blood of Valen'."

"Perhaps, perhaps. Please leave me now Shai Alyt. I need to rest."

"Yes Satai."

The warrior turned from the pale face of his mentor and friend and moved to the door. Opening it once more he heard the weak voice of Hedronn address him for the last time.

"Good night, Satai Hedronn."

"Good Night. Satai Sharonn."

The door closed on the darkened room of the warrior Satai, he would not be seen alive again.

**Fleet Shipyards**

**Beta Durani**

**Battle Plus Seven Days**

Since the end of the battle of Beta Durani the shipyards had ramped back up to full production, in some areas faster and more intensively than before. There were fewer things more effective than a good scare put into a person to get them working faster, and the attack had done just that.

The shipyards themselves consisted of a network of dry-docks, slipways, construction lines, cargo containers and personnel control rooms scattered around them. The Durani yards were the largest in the outer sectors. While smaller than the scattered yards in the Sol, Proxima and other systems they still had dozens of ships under construction at any one time.

Originally the yards had had only a few slipways but the war had changed that. Within weeks the construction yards had built the slips up to current levels hoping that enough ships could be constructed to hold back the Minbari juggernaut. Most recently the newest docks had been expanded to hold the newest ships of the line, the Nova X class vessels. None were close to completion leaving the rest of the docks to take up the slack of construction.

The majority of the docks held Hyperion Refits and Nova Dreadnaughts under construction with carriers, corvettes tenders and numerous other small units taking up the rest. Almost two-dozen ships across the system were almost ready to be released into space by the construction crews with only hours remaining before most were fully functional.

"General, status report on the shipyards."

"What have we got, Lt?"

"Sir, most of the lightly damaged ships from the battle are already repaired and out on patrol. The more seriously damaged are still under repair with about a week for most. The shipyards will have twenty six ships ready for deployment by the end of the day. All ships will have full Starfury compliments by the end of the week, the extra pilots and crew brought in by the Daedalus Task force has helped to crew those ships we have."

"Total status of defenses?"

"Fifty two ships on patrol, twenty more under varying levels of repair. Fixed defenses are still being repaired but should be operational by the end of the week."

"Good." He signed off on the report. "What about the Achilles and her task force?"

"The Achilles weapons are reinstalled and in full repair, a few of our own weapons components let us replace what was missing. The railguns and ammunition are also under production at one of the former Starfury Lines. Armour production for the Achilles is almost complete, although it's not as durable as their own. But it should help against the Minbari."

"All units will be upgraded as they come in for refit, the railguns won't replace the SPBs but will be attached alongside them. The sensor platforms will go into full production once it is confirmed they work. In all Sir, I think we're as good to go as we can be."

Consulting his reports he looked up at the General. "The prototypes of the upgraded sensor systems are complete and under installation in two of our Hyperions and one Nova. They will be ready for testing with the next twenty-four hours."

"Excellent."

"The Achilles FTL drives are still down as are a few extraneous systems but she'll be ready for deployment with the rest of the force tomorrow. The rest of the technical stuff is still being looked over by the eggheads at R&D."

"Lets hope this works or we're back to square one."

"Yes, Sir."

"Anything about the Minbari ships?"

"The R&D guys are looking over the wreck of the Tinashi, the two Sharlins have been picked up by a group of tow ships and escort and left this morning. Looks like we may have some work ahead of us to even scrape the surface."

"With any luck we'll be able to get something out of this."

"Yes, Sir. And Sir the Psi-Corps reps are complaining about not being allowed to talk to the crew of the Achilles again. What should I tell them this time?"

"Same as always, the Achilles crew don't want them aboard their ship and there's nothing we can do to force them to."

There was a smile on the young officer's face, "Aye, Sir."

There was something immensely satisfying about stopping the Psi-Corps from getting their way and General Hague was feeling quite smug about it. There was no way in hell he was letting the treaty between the two crews fall apart because of a bunch of hopped up fortune tellers.

**Psi Corps Quarters**

**Minutes later…**

"What the hell do you mean that you can't get in contact with them," Clark shouted from the monitor.

"Precisely what I said, Senator." The telepath looked at Clark as if he was a lesser form of life, which to many in the Psi corps 'mundanes' were. "General Hague has refused us access to the Omega yards continuously; apparently the other ship's crew has 'requested' that we do not approach them under any circumstances."

"Tell General Hague that this is a direct order from a Senator of the Earth Alliance, you are to allowed immediate access to the Omega docks and to the dock the Achilles is seconded inside especially."

"Yes, Senator."

"Clark out."

"Egotistical little fruit." One of the Psi cops said.

"Now, Now Edmund, speak well of our Senator." The other said.

"I doubt that Hague will let us through even with a Senator's order."

"I agree, so what do we do?"

**USAF Achilles**

**Omega Dock six**

**One week post battle.**

Since the incident with Minbari only a few days beforehand the Achilles' crew had been working round the clock as much as possible to get their ship ready for combat again. Most systems had been repaired with facsimiles created with EA equipment; even the control crystals had a variation using a network of specially created data crystals used by the Earthforce ships.

Most of the damaged or destroyed weapons systems had been replace in record time by the Earth Alliance shipyards, again the weapons had been easily manufactured by the EA's fabrication lines within eleven days. The same went for the new missile bays. Most of the works were built from components from Starfury systems, but it meant the Achilles was as close to 100 percent as they could get.

The Earth Alliance shipyards had started to churn out tactical systems based on the technical specs as shared by the Achilles. More was to come from the SGC personnel in the future but only those few systems capable of being built in the shipyards were given to the Earth forces.

"Sir." The chief engineer strolled up to the Colonel and Major, both deep in discussion when he had appeared.

"Chief, what's the latest?"

"Weapons are fully operational, all primary systems are online and the shields are back to full power."

"Excellent work, Chief."

"Without the industrial base the EA had here we would have had a month's worth of repairs back home not just shy of two weeks. The Armour sections are being welded to the hull over the next few hours with assistance from both the shipyards and our own crew."

"You a miracle worker Chief."

"Was nothing Sir. The shield generators were a little burnt up but were repairable. All systems bar the hyperdrive are ready. The problem is the drive has pretty much had it Sir- the damage from the explosion fried most of the circuits and blew the main converters. We have power but no way to create a window."

"Dammit. Thanks chief."

"Sir."

"Well Paul, I think we've got a problem."

"Without that hyperdrive we're pretty much stuck here, The EA's hyperdrives are too large for the Achilles, we have the power but not the room for the vortex generators."

"So stranded, no way to find out way back to our Earth and now no way to move."

"That's about the size of it, Sir."

"Talk to the station, tell them we may need some assistance to leave the system."

"Aye, Sir."

Davis left the Colonel in the corridor; Taylor sagged against the wall tired and forlorn. She had been through the ringer like the rest of the crew and was very tired. Where the crew had had time off in rotation and others had been seconded to the Alliance, she had been aboard the entire time the refit had been going on supervising the repairs.

Exhaustion rippled through her body as she walked into her quarters, leaning against the wall she slipped to the ground her head falling forward, she was tired in every way she could think of- emotionally, physically, psychologically. The stress was getting to her much more quickly that she had thought it possible to be.

Lost, away from home and no way to even move this crate. Like any Captain that had been in this position she blamed herself for the fact her entire crew were stuck in an unknown universe and no one had a clue how to get back home.

Hell since the day we arrived here we've lost almost a third of the crew and not even had time for a proper service for any of them she thought.

The fact that they were trapped where they were with no idea what to do about it had filtered through the minds of her people earlier that week. The battles and wonder at being in a new place had worn off, leaving a feeling of helplessness and homesickness for the all too human crew of the Achilles.

Some had taken it and soldiered on while others, mainly those officers and crewmen just out of training had found it much more difficult to go on than the seasoned and professional older men and women of her command. With the loss of their only faster than light capability the feelings would only increase for the surviving crew and only the Gods would know what was to come for the small ship.

Crawling into bed the ship's commander lay back thinking about how the hell they were going to get out of this one intact, especially with those Psi Corps wackos running around trying to get access to the interior of the Achilles and the crew's minds.

The problem that the SGC personnel had was that there was no way they would be able to tell if the Psi Corps officers were even reading their minds, there had only been a very few run ins with telepathic races by the SGC and only one or two had been in any way hostile to the SG teams.

She'd figure something out in the morning.

**USAF Prometheus**

**Dimensional Anomaly**

**Six hours after previous encounter.**

The Prometheus sat several thousand kilometres from the 'Event Horizon' of the anomaly, it's scanners pulling in every reading it could. Aacross space from them the Allied ha'tak 'Freedom's choice' sat scanning. So far it was unlike anything they had seen before, while it has some attributes of a Hyperspace Window it also had some characteristics of a black hole or possibly some other sort of gravitational force.

"Sir, we're receiving a message from the 'Choice' she's picked up what seems to be a form of particle emission from the anomaly, it's not natural."

"Some kind of transmission?"

"I don't think so Sir, more like a scan of some kind, I think there's something on the other side of the rift."

"Open standard hail, see if you can get through to the other side. Also contact the 'Choice' have them call in the rest of the task force. We may need assistance if things get out of hand."

"Aye, Sir."

**EA Daedalus**

**Hyperion Class Heavy Cruiser**

**Eight Days post Battle of Durani **

The Earth Force Navy had launched the latest of the ships to be brought into service for the EA that day. While the three ships were the basic shapes of the Hyperion and Nova class vessels in use, only a close observation would show that small turrets had been added to the hulls of the warships. What's more there was just a slight change in the scanner systems of all three ships.

One other Hyperion was to stay behind to test the systems at the Station, as well as to give tactical in case the Minbari returned, another reason being that the term 'eggs in one basket had been bounced around by the technicians attached to the project.

"Daedalus to Durani station, task force is ready for test run."

"Durani Station to Daedalus, we've got you. Permission granted for test run."

"Any boneheads in the area?"

"Not that we know of Daedalus. The Achilles is waiting for your task force at the jumpgate. Good luck to you all. Durani Station out."

The three ships of the task force pulled away from the dockyards and towards the massive construct that was the system's jump gate. Awaiting them there was the Prometheus class vessel that had changed much of Earth force's fortunes in such a small amount of time.

"Achilles to Daedalus; nice to see you."

"Achilles, Daeladus, nice to see you as well. We've been informed of your hyperdrive problems and are ready to take you in. Keep a good lock on us if you can. You also have the beacon locations so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding your way."

"Affirmative Daedalus, you ready for a little meet'n'greet?"

"We've got your back Achilles."

The massive jumpgate powered up, its three booms sending a current of power through space and opening a rift into hyperspace. The bright blue wormhole now active the four ships headed towards the entrance and were pulled in by the intense gravitation eddies that made up the majority of hyperspace.

Inside was a very different sight compared to the hyperspace that the USAF crew had known, while they had been through this hyperspace at least once before it didn't make it any easier to take. The blood red and shadowy black mixed with numerous energy releases and the gravity eddies surrounding them were not conductive to a feeling of easygoing.

The Achilles was a very small ship compared to the behemoths that made up the majority of the Earth Alliance's space forces meaning it was not as capable of fighting the currents that made up the twists and turns of hyperspace travel. Several time the Battle cruiser was forced to make intense course corrects by engaging its engines to more than full power.

Fortunately for the crew of the Achilles the towlines that had been readied for any such problems were unnecessary. On the way back they might be needed but with a last boost of acceleration the entire task force left hyperspace and dropped into an abandoned Earth Alliance system.

The system had been attacked and taken by the Minbari a week before as the inroads into Alliance space had increased. It was the most likely pace to find at least one of the Minbari patrols that ran through the abandoned systems daily. Once they had jumped the new scanner systems on the three Earth Alliance ships powered up scanning the entire system in seconds.

"Sir, we've got a better range and resolution on the sensors, no sign of any ships yet however. We've got the abandoned listening post in system, but that's it."

"Excellent. Anything from the other ships?"

"Negative, Sir. But all systems are functioning on all ships."

"Ready a test fire of all railgun turrets."

"Aye, Sir."

Across the structure of the Hyperion class warship small turrets came to life. The turrets were smaller than any other weapon bar the ship's interceptors. As such there were a good couple of dozen turrets mounting between two and three railguns a piece. Unlike the railguns of their own Artemis and Olympus class ships, there railguns were small easily manufactured and easily reloaded with massive amounts of titanium rounds.

It was hoped that these weapons would be of much more use against enemy ships and light craft than the Standard Particle beams and interceptors of the Alliance. Already they had been of immense use in destroying entire squadrons of enemy fighters as well as doing insane amounts of damage to the smaller frigates of the Minbari fleet.

The four warships began a turret-by-turret check of the weapons, each firing off a salvo of projectiles from the multiple barrels out into space. One by one every turret was checked out by the weapons officers aboard each ship, three aboard one of the nova, two on another and two on the Hyperion all failed to fire.

The original guns on board the Achilles worked fine as had as the replacements attached by the yard workers at the Omega Bay. The ship's original configuration was a close as it could be without access to SGC personnel and resources.

The two damaged or replaced missile launchers had been tested long before with both working perfectly. The magazines were still full with the remaining reloads that had been sequestered in the cargo bays and armouries. The entire system of launchers were full, however it now meant that unless they could somehow persuade the Alliance to supply them with high yield nuclear weapons or high explosive missiles they would be out of weaponry within a few battles.

The ships began the shakedown of each of their systems in turn. Weapons and sensors were tested again and again while the engines and other critical systems were engaged in maneuvering and speed trials that had not been possible at their home station. The last of the systems checked had been the shields of the Achilles, the reason was two fold, one was to check the actual shields. If the shields were seen as shields and not as an anomaly the scanners would be functional, any other reading would mean recalibrations or possibly complete checks of all ties into the system. The shields went up sending energy reading of the small ships off the scale, the ship became indistinct as the three Earthforce ships got a reading of a basic outline and a sphere.

The Scanners were a success, the railguns worked and now for the first time Earthforce had ships that may just be capable of fighting off the massive ships that were assaulting their homes and people. The crews were ecstatic at the thought that their ships were now a match for the hated Minbari.

"Daedalus to Achilles, all ships sytem check out. We've got a few blockages in the railguns, but everything else works."

"Achilles to Daedalus. We've noticed, our systems are pretty much back to spec as well. Looks like we've both got something good out of this."

"Indeed Achilles, we're returning to Durani Base immediately, you want a tow this time?"

"That would be much appreciated. We're not quite used to hyperspace steering yet."

"No-ones really got the hang of it Achilles, hold tight we'll have a tow line to you in a few minutes."

"Got that Daedalu. Achilles out."

"XO, launch two of the Starfuries have them attach tow lines to the Achilles and ready a report to Durani Command, scanners operative, unknown. If Minbari ships can be seen. Immediate follow up needed."

"Aye, Sir."

Two small fighters launched from the hanger of the Hyperion cruiser. Spinning around to the rear of the vessel they clamped onto several large metal cables and reeled them out to the Prometheus class warship. As they closed the smaller ship pulled away and swung one hundred degrees on its axis.

**USAF Achilles**

**Same time.**

The crew were watching their consoles going about their usual duties as the commander and executive officer watched the Daedalus launch a few fighters from it's onboard squadron. At the same time coils of cables were unrolled from the rear of the Hyperion cruiser and grasped by the cross shaped fighters.

Simultaneously, a small signal was received from somewhere on the fringes of the Achilles' scanners, the signal was repeated and then stopped. Seconds later the signal was increased and the scanners got a lock on the vessel that was sending it.

Minbari.

A Minbari Flyer that was scouting the area.

The Achilles spun around pointing it's fore towards that area startling the two fighters that were still closing, the Achilles started to move faster to make the attempt to catch the Minbari ship before it could get away. The flyer saw them and power up to move away sending distress signals as it went.

"Sir Minbari ship is sending distress signals."

"Can you jam it?"

"Yes Sir….ECM going active-jamming all enemy frequencies."

"You think they saw everything, Sir?" asked Davis.

"More than likely, get on the horn to the Earth Alliance ships tell them possible incoming Minbari warships."

"Aye, Sir."

"All hands Battle Stations."

The ship went into full combat alert. The ship's weapons systems that were not already primed for combat were brought online and readied. The five fighters of the depleted wing were set on standby and finally the ship's shields went fully online and ready for combat. Fortunately, unlike the last few battles fought by the Achilles, the ship's shields were fully powered and in full working order.

The flyer was steadily making it's way away from the system toward the heliopause just outside the orbit of the last planet. It was fast but the Achilles with it's own technology was slightly faster and was steadily catching up.

"Something's not right here."

"Major?"

"That's a single pilot craft out her in a system which should have no one here. It's outgunned and it has no chance of outrunning up, what's more the system's jumpgate is one hundred degrees from its current course."

"So why is it running into deep space?"

"It's a trap, helm turn one eighty and get us out of here."

The agile and fast warship practically spun around and pushed its engines to full sprinting back to the rest of the ships in the task force, its communications screaming that the Minbari were on their way into the system. The three Earth Alliance capital ships responded in turn to the about turn of their ally, every weapon came into instant readiness while their enhanced scanning systems started combing the area. The entire flight contingent of the ships came streaming out of the warship's hangers, mostly the Aurora class Starfuries with a few other variants that Earthforce was using.

The Achilles pushed it's acceleration to full making an attempt to get closer to it's allied vessels. Behind them a half dozen jump points opened in response to the flyer's transmission. Through the points came a veritable fleet of Minbari warships; a half dozen Sharlins backed up by almost twenty other ships of differing kinds, then the biggest ship arrived.

**Shala Fi**

**Shargotti Class Combat Refit**

**Same time**

The Shragotti looked much like the Drala Fi, however this one was slightly modified from the basic Shargotti type. Like the 'Blood Of Dukhat' had been this ship was a refit- one set up for heavy combat, something that was overkill against the humans but was right for the oncoming Great War. Combat against a warship capable of fighting them would be a good test of the advanced warship's capabilities, more so with the human's defensive shielding. The three Earth Alliance Ships would be of no match to the forces, but they would be of some sport for the Minbari ships while the Shargotti and it's entourage destroyed the unknown ship. This 'Achilles' that was responsible for the death of so many Minbari at the battles they had fought.

The Shai Alyt of the assault fleet was one of the best the Warrior caste had since the crippling of the Drala Fi and the death of the honored Satai. The warriors were still angered beyond what the Minbari people had been after the death of the greatest of them all.

In response to that the warriors had posted sentries in every system in the area around Durani base in order to catch the Achilles and any ships that arrived with it. Now it seemed that plan had come to fruition as one of the flyers in the captured Earther systems had sent out a signal giving the warrior notice that the new ship was in system. Consequently the entire fleet had jumped into the system to face and destroy this abomination to their race and to have their vengeance against these allies of the barbarian Earthers.

"Shai Alyt we have the Achilles on scans with several Earthforce ships supporting her. The Earther ships have some modifications to their systems but not enough to harm our ships."

"Good, all ships are to head for the Earthers and destroy the ships, have our escorts come with us. We will destroy the Achilles and take what we want from the wreckage."

"At once Shai Alyt."

**USAF Achilles:**

"This could have turned out better," said Taylor as her ship screamed out of range of the Minbari fleet.

"Sir, we've got multiple enemy contacts in system and they are heading for the Rendezvous with the Daedalus."

"Ship strength?"

"Twenty four ships, reading Sharlin, Tinashi and another of those flagship class things."

The crew knew of the strength of the Minbari Flagships as even with the immense damage caused to the ships of the attack fleet during the battle a week ago. The big ship has survived multiple impacts from half a dozen weapons systems and still got out of the system alive and functional.

The original ship had been 'seen' before and was believed to be one of the most advanced and capable cruisers the Minbari had. The lucky survivors of numerous task forces had spoken of a giant ship that all but wiped them out single handed.

"Ready Missiles and railguns, transfer all hyperdrive power to the shields and main gun."

"Aye, Sir."

"Colonel the Daedalus just got off a distress call to Durani station, if they get it we'll be an hour from reinforcements."

"Then we just have to stay alive that long, contact the Alliance ships tell them to head away from the Minbari at full burn maybe we'll be able to get to the Jumpgate before they do."

"Aye, Sir."

"Sir the alliance ships hyperspace engines are still recharging after the power dump, we might not get out at all unless we get to the gate."

"I'm aware of that Major, we'll let the Alliance ships get out of range then double back and hit the Minbari from long range, have weapons put a full load of enhanced nukes in the launchers and set them for proximity detonation."

"Aye, Sir."

"Sir Daedalus acknowledges, all ships are heading for the system's jumpgate."

"Roger that, ready all fighters with full anti ship combat load and put them on hot standbye."

"Aye, Sir."


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15  
"Let's Kick This Pig…"

CRS Centauri Resplendent  
Unclaimed System

The Centauri primus class warship had made its war into the depths of the system. The system was close to the Minbari and Earther space but far enough and unimportant enough that few would be bothered with the system. Obviously the humans had been there before them by the massive amounts of debris in the system.

The most surprising had been the fact that flotsam from a destroyed Minbari ship was also in the system, not quite enough to be an entire ship. That meant that the Minbari had come for any intact parts of their ship

Ignoring the debris of destroyed ships and fighters the Primus ploughed on it's small scale gravitational shield pushing away anything that could potentially damage the hull or the weapons system of the Majestic looking ship. It was only a few more minutes before the 'Resplendent' was close to the unknown energy signature.

Closing in on it they could see the anomaly was like a rip in space unlike anything else they had seen before. The crew powered up scanners to maximum trying to see if they could figure out anything about the rift.

"My lord our scans indicate some kind of forced particle sweep coming from the other side of the anomaly, it looks like some sort of scan, possibly a communications channel."

"What? Can you identify it?"

"It's not a usual type of communications channel My lord. It's some high frequency energy transmission."

"Can you secure it?"

"I think so, my lord."

"Do so."

A couple of minutes of work by the bridge crew brought the voice communications up, the visuals however were not capable due to the Interference from the anomaly.

"This is the USAF Prometheus to unidentified vessel please respond."

"That's English, the Earther prime language. The name is of one of their Ancient gods."

"What? The Earther systems are many light years from here."

"Nonetheless my lord, that is what we are hearing."

"Open up a counter frequency."

"Open my lord."

"This is the Centauri Republic Warship Centauri Resplendent to USAF Prometheus, we hear you how can we help our Earther friends today."

"You know where we're from?" asked the person communicating with them.

"Of course the Centauri Republic acknowledges their friendship with the Earth Alliance and its peoples."

HA! ADD SOMETHING HERE. THE CENTAURI SHOULD REALIZE THE IRONY OF THEIR STATEMENT. QUESTION ARE THEY AFRAID TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE 'EARTHERS' SINCE THE MINBARI ARE WITH IN GENERAL AREA?

"Umm Captain, you must have us confused with someone else, we've never heard of the Centauri."

"How could that be the Alliance and the Republic have been allies for many years."

YEAH, RIGHT

"One moment please."

The communication cut off from the other side at that as the human ship ceased transmitting. the channel was open just nothing else was coming through. The loss of transmission was ignored as the scanners of the Primus class ship started to beep an alert.

"My lord, there's something happening to the Rift. It seems to be shifting."

"Centauri vessel, this is the Achilles do you see what we're seeing?"

"Indeed Achilles, the Anomaly is changing somewhat do you know what it is?"

"Negative, we've nothing like it on record."

"Indeed."

"Hang on its growing… ahh hell! All about NOW!"

The Centauri heard the order down the communications line which cut off. Seconds later as the Prometheus class ship and the massive Ha'tak warship pulled away from the expanding rift. The Centauri ship was still too close to the anomaly as it expanded fed as it was by the differing energies of three warships from two universes and as such is was caught in the gravitational backwash of the growing rip and pulled into its embrace.

The Primus spun as it passed through the rift, it continued to tumble until it was stopped by the holding beams of one Ha'tak class mothership,. The massive ship strained the energy systems and the mechanics behind the beam to the limit before its tumble was halted by the crew of the Centauri warship.

"We've got them Sir, the ships got damage but it's not critical."

"Open up the hail again."

"Aye, Sir."

"Centauri Ship this is the Prometheus, do you require assistance?"

There was silence as the communication system tried to pick up on any incoming transmissions, there were none from the Centauri ship.

"Centauri Ship this is the USAF Prometheus, please come in."

"No response Sir, their comms may be damaged or their bridge crew may be out."

"Centauri Ship's status?"

"Their hull is intact Sir, but that's about all we can ascertain without getting someone inside theirs. Something blocking some of our scans, possibly a shield or the construction of the ship itself."

"Alright have the 'Choice' launch a cargo ship, see if they can get inside. Also contact Stargate Command. Tell them we have a First Contact, request immediate dispatch of negotiators and technical support crew."

"Aye Sir."

From the Ha'tak a single Tel'Tac class cargo shuttle launched towards the close to mile long warship. A close up of the ship showed them that it out massed both Human and Jaffa warships combined by multiple times.

The main outer hull seemed to be intact with cosmetic damage. And some damage was done to the most obvious of the ship's weapons systems. Several of the heaviest weapons had been fused shut. The ship was slowly rotating in place, its power and engine systems completely out. Only a few thrusters kept it from continuing into space.

The cargo ship banked around the ship looking for an airlock or hanger bay to attach to, the hanger was sealed shut while the few airlocks found could not take the small ship's own airlock, finally it was decided for the Jaffa aboard to ring into the ship using the cargo's transporter.

The area the Jaffa transported into was a mess, they had ringed into the largest area they could find, that being the hanger bay for the one squadron of fighters the capital ship could hold. Inside the hanger the squadron of fighters had been set for immediate launch for one reason or another, possibly to try and surround them but more likely as a precautionary measure. However the fighters were now strewn across the massive bay some intact, and some in pieces where they had struck each other, or the hull struts.

Spare parts, munitions and personnel had also been thrown around destroying much and killing everyone in the hanger bay. The ship's solid construction and material strength had held it together even with the damage taken by the hanger bay, the Jaffa patrol could see from just that one look around that no one was alive and there would be little to salvage after the ship was brought under control by the Centauri or the Jaffa.

"C'ake to Cargo ship." The Jaffa brought his communications link up to his face, "The hanger bay is badly damaged, no crew alive. We are proceeding with search and rescue proceedings."

"Cargo ship to C'ake, we receive you. Good luck."

"Out."

The patrol was broken up into three teams of three to search the areas that were adjacent to the hanger bay. All three went deeper into the ship as well as up and down decks towards the bridge and the engine rooms.

It took a while to get anywhere with the internal damage taken by the Primus class vessel with dead bodies and scattered hull pieces. There were very few survivors on board and it took quite a bit of time to cross the close to one kilometer living areas of the ship. This was even more complicated as several time the teams had to return and try other ways through damaged sections.

The first survivor found was inside one of the ship's barrack rooms. The survivor was injured but not seriously and awoke just as the three man squad pulled the damaged door open.

"Who?…" The Centauri man shrank back, his language was unfamiliar to the jaffa and as such they shifted into the Tau'ri's primary language.

"Stay calm, we are only here to help. Your ship is damaged, we are looking for the survivors to assist them." One of the other Jaffa said, the Centauri crewman knew the Earther language and as such could converse with the Jaffa.

"Thank you, you are from the other side of the rift?"

"Yes, we are Jaffa. Please come with us, we need to find any other survivors. What is your crew compliment?"

"A little under 1500 crew and pilots." The young Centauri was limping and holding his arm close to his body, he was in obvious pain but waved off the Jaffa when they asked if he wanted help.

"We have been through large sections of your ship already, the cargo and hanger bays are destroyed while many of these barrack rooms are damaged. You are the first survivor found by any of our patrols."

"Just me, me out of fifteen hundred? That's not possible."

"As I have said we are still looking but much of you ship is in pieces, you have no hulk breaches that we could find but the internal structure is compromised in many areas. We believe there may be survivors on the bridge or some other command room."

"The bridge is in the centre of the ship, a secondary control room is close to engineering the ship can be operated from there."

"Thank you, if you will come with us we shall find more of your brethren."

"Thank you all, it is appreciated by the House of Mollari."

Special Operation R&D  
Io Base  
Sol System  
Same Day.

The Spec ops base was the Earth Alliance's most secure and classified station in Earth space, it was the hub of most of the Alliance's current research and development for use against Minbari warships. Now the station was working overtime with the newest technologies that had been brought in, already numerous systems were being stripped from the Minbari ships while the technical specs were exchanged with the Achilles crew.

The crippled Tinashi and Sharlin were now little more than hulks with spare parts, anything of any use had been stripped and was being analyzed by the best brains the Alliance could gather together. Fighters and flyers had also been removed from the intact Sharlin in order to check them out. They were now in the hands of the fighter corps on Earth.

The entire base was bustling as the next shift of scientists and technicians came aboard to continue with the deconstruction of the ships in their hands. Most moved to the massive complex where the Minbari technology was being stored while a small group headed for a smaller station where the technology given to them by the Achilles was being looked over.

Inside the station stood the key to the entire exchange between the two human powers, one F-302 stood alone inside the pressurized dock space. Unlike the other ships in their hands the 302 was intact and still being looked over before it was reverse engineered. It as well as a small ground crew from the Achilles had been transferred from Durani Station in order to fully brief the technicians at Io base.

For now the information already gathered from both sources was more than enough for the Research and Development teams to start construction basic plans from upgrades across the fleet. However even with the availability of components and personnel it would take a lot of time and effort to rebuild these systems into the ships of the fleet.

Earth Force command had sent a single Hyperion class warship to the R&D facilities as a test bed for the newest of the technologies available. With assistance from the crew of the Achilles and the technicians at Durani base, the systems installed upon the Daedalus Task force. Already the main sensor systems had been totally removed and fully integrated system based on the Achilles' design were being installed, it would take time but within weeks the ship should be ready.

Other systems such as the railguns and inertial compensators used by all SGC spacecraft were being studied by the station's personnel, none would be ready for a few weeks as even though the ships on the front lines had cobbled together some good version they were not suitable for large scale deployment

"Lt. Silverston."

"Commander Cole, nice to see you."

"Thank you. I have a message from Earthdome, they wish to see you in Geneva as soon as possible."

"Someone let the cat outta the bag huh?"

"Yeah, seems that they ain't too happy about your people being here and not contacting the bigwigs Earthside."

"Well considering the political berks we've got back home, I kinda want to stay away from them-like any can be worse than Kinsey."

As you said before-Clark and Kinsey---long lost brothers. Oh, Lord!

"We've got a few right tits here." The alder British man said. "The shuttle's going in a few minutes, I'm returning with you to Earth Force command then I'm off on leave."

"Gonna see the family, huh?"

"Yep. Got my kids to see. It's been a while."

"Let's get going."

The two officers left the control room of the Io R&D base and headed for the massive hanger section that held the numerous construction pod as well as the numerous shuttles. This was not going to be an easy time for the United States pilot.

Io Transfer Point  
One hour later:

The transfer close to the Moon of Io was the replacement jumpgate into the home of the Earth Alliance. The original Jumpgate had been placed in Earth Orbit by the Centauri over one hundred years previously. With the growth of the Alliance and the knowledge of potentially harmful alien races in the immediate galactic area, the original gate had been decommissioned and moved into storage. The Io gate was now the only gate allowing ships into the system.

Close by the gate sat several linked habitats that made up the Io naval station and transfer point, around the stations a dozen Hyperion and Nova class ships were docked with almost forty civilian ships surrounding them. The massive liners and cargo ships were loading or unloading their cargoes to the Station and warships.

Fighters and shuttles were flitting to and fro from the station, many taking on leave troops back home or to their respective commands. Unlike most of the stations in the Alliance systems, the Io transfer point was unarmed as far as the main base went while the EarthForce R&D and operations stations were heavily protected.

From the closest station to the inner system, a single high-speed trans atmospheric shuttle left the hanger of the station's VIP section, the two passengers heading for Earth and a meeting with Senator William Clark.

Shala Fi (Red Star)  
Shargotti Class Warship  
Former Earth Alliance system  
Same time

The Shargotti warship had turned away from the bulk of its fleet trailing a duo of Sharlin class cruisers and six Tinashi class frigates, the few records received from the Drala Fi before the ships had left the system had pointed out that the Achilles and a new earth ship had destroyed five of their ships within minutes. For this they were taking no chances.

The formation spread out to minimize the overlapping their fire would make and enough to allow the fighter squadrons of the larger ships to slip through and attack the Achilles, enough to soften her up before the capital ships went in.

"Shai Alyt, the task force is in combat formation, we have the Achilles on our sensors, her shields are stopping us getting a full reading of their position, however we are able to extrapolate their location and as such we will start bombardment once in range.

"Good, have the fighters cover the larger ships, the reading we have received from the Drala Fi have given us good intelligence on their Anti fighter abilities, the fighters will keep the human missiles at bay."

"Yes, Shai Alyt."

The larger than usual task force approached the Achilles slowly, the faster speed of the Achilles negated by the slower speeds of the Alliance patrol it was rendezvousing with. The Minbari ships closed faster with the Alliance warships closing to strike range. The fighters of the second group closed in with the faster frigates in order to cripple the larger Earth ships.

Starfuries from all three ships streamed out of the hanger bays of the three Alliance cruisers, barely three squadrons against over a wing and a half of Minbari fighters, the 'furies while usually no match the more powerful fighters of the Minbari would have to soak up a massive amount of firepower in order to let their home vessels escape.

The entire Starfury phalanx were capable of being armed with Air to Air Missiles for use against threat forces, these missiles had a range better than any known weapons the Minbari had, and these were put to good use as the two groups closed the range, the Minbari to firing range and the Starfuries to their own. The firing range for the human fighters for so long against the Minbari had been point blank. Now with their home vessels assistance that range was the range no other fighter had, that of their most powerful Missile weapons.

From thirty-six fighters, shouts of 'Fox Two' or 'Fox Three' were heard from all ships of the fighter wing as they accompanied the launch of seventy-two missiles from their wings, the massive salvo lanced out at the one hundred odd Nial Interceptors. Even after months of war the Minbari fighter pilots were not used to the archaic solid-state weapons that the humans used on all their craft.

As such, dozens of explosions ripped into the fighter swarm killing entire squadrons as a little more than half of the missiles impacted the Minbari fighters, other missiles were intercepted by quick thinking pilots and shot down while yet more were spoofed by the ECM systems of the fighters themselves. The last of the missile salvo were shot down by the longer ranged and more powerful weapons of the Tinashi Frigates that were approaching them, hot on the heels of the fighters.

The remaining fighters of the Minbari ranks still outnumbered and outgunned the Earth Starfuries as the two groups collided. Fusion cannons and Plasma burst impacted on all sides destroying fighters by the handful before the fighters separated their combined speeds pulling them past the others.

The 'Furies tilted up and burst out of the melee their engines burning at maximum, swinging around the fighters launched into the lines of the Minbari squadrons.

The Minbari fighters broke ranks and scattered trying to get locks on the human fighters. Both sides spun and collided once again, the telemetry from the capital ships allowing the Earth fighters to finally target their enemies. Once again pulse cannons struck crystalline armor crushing and melting through the hulls of their foes while fusion lasers cut into thick armor and sliced entire through entire sections of the fighter's hulls.

Alpha One  
Aurora Starfury.  
Off of the Nova Class Dreadnaught Icarus

"Alpha one to all alpha units, break into wing pairs and hit the enemy. Do not allow the bastards to take you one on one."

"The damned boneheads already outnumber us two to one, they don't need to," Alpha six responded.

"Just do it Six. We need to let the rest of the ships get out and back to Durani Station."

"Aye, Sir."

"Alpha three, Fox Two, Fox three."

"Alpha Seven, Fox three. Alpha Leader I'm outta missiles."

"Got that Seven, stay alert and hit anything that's not one of ours."

"Aye Sir, Seven out."

The remaining Members of Alpha Squadron spun in space, each coving the others as missiles and plasma bolts were exchanged with the closest enemy units. A half dozen more Minbari ceased to exist as the wing pairs started to tag team an enemy fighter every few seconds.

Even with these new tactics the outnumbered Earth forces had little chance against the more advanced and far more powerful Minbari fighters, singularly or in wing pairs. Fusion cannons of the Nials slowly annihilated the squadrons. Even with the losses on their side the humans refused to bow down before the Minbari, the few remaining units gave up any hope of survival and with that realization they became dangerous.

"Gamma six, Fox Three Fox Three, hell all foxes." One of the Starfuries released every weapons system he had in one salvo heading straight for what seemed to be the squadron leaders for the immediate squadrons. His insane charge was cut off with the destruction of his two port engines, which sent him spinning off into the guns of several more fighters. Most of his weapons fire impacted on a single fighter damaging it while the rest were shot down or dodged.

Three more Nials went down as the remnants of the lost fighter's squadron jumped the Minbari fighters hitting more and disabling them, missiles crossed paths as the last of the Earth fighters missiles impacted into their enemy fighters, killing them all.

In only minutes the Minbari had lost entire squadrons of their brethren from the long reach of the human's modified missiles, yet more had been taken out by accurate fire that had not been seen before by the Minbari fleet. More and more fighters were lost as the surprise finally lifted from the Minbari squadrons allowing them to take out more and more human pilots.

For every human fighter lost the odds turned even worse to the remaining humans. With almost a half squadron to each human fighter the Starfuries had no chance at all against the Minbari even if they were all intact and fully armed. However with this realization something had changed.

It was once claimed that there is nothing more dangerous than a man who has nothing left to lose. These few pilots now were those men and as such had become something to fear even by the Minbari warriors.

"Alpha Lead to all units, take these fuckers down and take 'em down damned hard."

The nine remaining fighters blew into the remaining squadrons of the Minbari lines, the twin pulse cannons and missiles lancing into the tightly packed flights of fighters while all power was diverted into the engines and thrusters of the small fighters engines. The nimble fighters ploughed into the enemy fighters with no heed for their own safety as they launched missiles and point blank and cycled both their primary and secondary weapons cannons through faster than the safeties usually allowed them.

Four more Starfuries were destroyed by the Minbari fighters as the berserker charge cut through their ranks. More than a squadron's worth of Nials went down under the fire of the insane human's fire causing others to break of from the combat wary of damage from shrapnel and explosive force.

Their backsides gave the few remaining Earth fighters the chances they needed to cripple or destroy the Nials with plasma fire. The maneuverability of the Starfuries more than came into play for this as the agile Human fighters landed hits to the fighters turning from them. It would have been amusing if it had not been so serious as the single fighter craft seemed to chase entire flights of enemy fighters

The final run came for the humans as the last of them came about straight into the teeth of three entire squadrons of Nials. Fire reached out and damaged the leader crippling his vessel

"ALPHA ONE TO ALL FIGHTERS, SEE YOU ALL IN VALHALLA!"

The damaged fighter of the lead pilot of the Starfury squadron, weapons down and engines crippled slammed his fighter into the closest flight of fighters detonating his power core in the process destroying four more fighters. The trio of remaining Starfuries were surrounded and destroyed by the four surviving squadrons of the Minbari attack force leaving nothing behind but debris and the dead of both sides.

-And leaving the destiny that once was set for one Lt Jeffrey Sinclair to be removed that day, a change that would reverberate through the ages, both forwards and backwards in time.


	17. Interlude 2

Interlude Number 2  
"This calls for a subtle Blend of Psychology and Extreme Violence."

Minbar  
Minbari Federation  
Grey Council Chambers  
That day:

The Chambers of the Grey council were active for the first time in many months. The council had been aboard the Valen'tha for much of the war, now with the war in full swing the modified Sharlin had returned to its home world and its very valuable cargo had been returned to their chambers in the old capital city.

"You have seen the reports from the Drala Fi."

"I have."

"What is your belief in this?

"The Humans have never had this ability before. Their technology is too far below ours to be a credible threat."

"However this new arrival, this 'Achilles' is more than capable of destroying our ships."

"It is one ship, it is of no consequence."

The hood of one of the seven Council members in session was pulled down. An attractive female face was under it. "But their technology may be," the woman said. "If the Humans are able to copy it in sufficient numbers then our ships may have a problem."

"Our ships are far too powerful for the Earth ships to do much to."

"Then what happened to the Drala Fi assault fleet?"

"A momentary problem, the destruction of the fleet was due to too many contributing factors, none of which will be a problem with the next attack."

"Their ability to scan our ships has brought them up to our level of ability, they have many ships, not as many as our own fleet but their tenacity may become a problem for us in the future."

"Then we do not allow it to get that far. Our Intelligence has pointed out that the entire group of ships refitted with these new technologies would be running through tests today, the Shala Fi assault fleet with a full squadron back up has been sent to destroy them. The Achilles and the Alliance ships will be destroyed."

"And if the Humans already have the technology engineered enough to add to the rest of their ships?"

"Then we destroy them all and leave no survivors no matter the cost."

"This is wrong. This is no longer vengeance."

"It is simple retribution, Delenn."

"No, it is not, Morann. The destruction of the Achilles may help us in the short run but what if more of their ships appear what will happen then?"

"We will destroy them."

"Do not be so flippant Morann. If they have any numbers of these ships they may do us more harm than we thought. Their shielding and sensors will allow them to destroy any ship we send."

"Their ships may become powerful and may have the chance against some of our ships but we have the numbers and weapons to destroy them and we will, for we must be ready for the possibility of the Shadows return."

"Morann is correct," Satai Sharonn the newest member of the council spoke up." We lost a great many ships to the barbarians. It is an insult to the warriors and Minbari race alike, for we are the chosen of Valen and the children of the Vorlons; we are in the right for this. The Humans will be destroyed as will all that help them."

"Everyone? What about the Narn and Centauri amongst others, both have helped the Humans. Are you willing to destroy them, then what if others decide to side with them? This is going too far and too quickly, this makes us no better than those we claim vengeance against."

"The Humans have killed some of our best and brightest. We will destroy them and their allies. We have the numbers and we have the warrior's true conscience. The Humans must be wiped out or we will have lost so much for nothing."

"I hope for the sake of our entire race that you are correct Sharonn or we will all pay the price for the warrior Caste's prideful actions."

"The Earthers are an aberration of the worst kind. What we know of their history is that of bloodshed and chaos, they willingly fight one another."

"Were we any different in our past, Morann?" The religious Satai asked. "We once fought amongst ourselves for control and until the coming of Valen we had no guide to follow."

"That was close to a Millennium ago. Our base desires no longer control our dealings with each other."

"But those desires are useful for dealing with those not of Minbari blood?"

"These Earthers have spilt that blood."

"Need I remind you that Valen himself was a Minbari not born of Minbari? He may have had Minbari blood but he was not born of Minbari blood. Would you be so willing to so such to him?"

Delenn of the Minbari Warrior caste returned her hood to its place and deactivated the light of her place in the circle. Walking away she returned to the thoughts that had been plaguing her. Such was her thoughts that she did not see the return of her old friend, the Enti'zah of the Anla'shok, the first one of the Rangers.

"Hello, Delenn."

"You scared me, Lenonn."

"That was not my intent."

"It is good to see you old friend."

"You as well. It has been quite a week."

"It has indeed. I assume the Anla'shok have been informed about the status of the Drala Fi."

"Indeed this is quite interesting. A single ship changed the tide of a battle that should have destroyed the entire Human mid range base at Beta Durani. The 'Achilles' I believe."

"The Rangers may be of help here."

"Indeed I have already ordered my people to gather intelligence about this new ship and its capabilities. From what little we have gathered the crew is all Human and the technology involved is not from this area of space."

"The Dark Ones?"

"No I don't believe so. The Shadows do not have this type of technology that we know of or they would have destroyed the Alliance of Light one thousand years ago. The defensive fields used by the races we know of are much different in output and technology than this one. However we also do not know for certain that they are not so we must be cautions at all times or we may fall into the hole that the warriors are carving."

"I agree. This war is taking a life of its own, in only one month we have lost in excess of one hundred and ten of our best warships. I do not expect the Shala Fi's task force to return intact. The power behind the Achilles and its technology may prove to be too much."

"Yes I saw the impact the energy weapon the Achilles has used one of our ships. If they are able to use that more than once, in a short time entire task forces would be in jeopardy."

"These Humans are tenacious, they cannot defeat us yet they try to stop us at every turn. I will admit I do admire the Humans for their wish to protect their own."

"The Humans are an adaptable species that much is certain. They have been in space less than a quarter of our own time yet they still fight on against odds that they have little chance again."

"Agreed, however these newcomer Humans must not be underestimated. Their assistance may do more to this balance of power than any that has come before, as such Lenonn I wish for your help."

"Ask and I shall try."

"I want you to take one of our ships whatever ship you can with a crew of trusted men and women and find out more of this ship and where it came from. The systems around where the Shal'avi was found has the best chance for us to find where they came from."

"As it shall be. Delenn be cautious the warriors and workers are pushing this war too fast. Do what you can to slow it down until our return."

"I shall try old friend. In Valen's Name."

"In Valen's Name."

Hanger 17  
EarthForce Command  
Earthdome  
Earth Alliance  
Six hours later

The atmospheric shuttle on loan from the Io transfer point pulled up from re-entry, its lower fuselage still glowing brightly from the heat of atmospheric insertion. Its atmospheric wings and undercarriage opened out for the shuttle's landing at the high security hanger close to Earthdome itself.

The shuttle's touchdown was swift and sure the pilot knowing the landing strip well, the passengers having little problem with the smooth ride as they came to a stop. The airlock depressurized and allowed them to exit into the terminal. There in front of them stood an honor guard of the Earth Alliance Marine Corps with a number of VIPs in front of them.

One balding and slightly smarmy looking man walked up to the two men looking them over.

"Welcome to Earth, Lt."

"Uhh…."

"its okay, Lt. I'm well aware that you are from the ship that appeared in our space recently."

"Sir."

"Please come with us, we have some things to talk about."

"Sir, I'm not diplomat. I'm a pilot. If you really want to talk you need to talk to my commander."

"Well your commander isn't here and you are. Besides this is just an informal chat, nothing more."

"I'll see you back at Io station in a week," said Commander Cole as he left.

"Say hello to Will and Marcus for me."

"Will do."

The Commander walked away from the Senatorial party and their guards leaving the Lt alone with the senator and his party. The rest of the group left the room in silence no conversation coming from anyone. The Lieutenant was more than a little wary of this small man in front of him, the little guy reminded him slightly of the snakeheads with his aura of self importance.

The senator and his party pulled up to a car outside the complex obviously to take them to the EarthDome senatorial offices, once inside however things changed.

"Lt, My name is William Clark. I am a Senator for the Alliance and head of R&D for EarthForce. It seems we have you and your ship to thank for the advances that have allowed some of our ships to go one on one with Minbari warships and do some damage."

"Lt Dennis Silverston United States Air Force, Space Command. Nice to meet you, Sir."

"It was lucky that you and your ship came to us when it did, otherwise we would be in much more trouble than we are against these Damn Minbari."

"Well Sir, we were willing to help. I'm going to assume that you have the full debriefings that myself and Colonel Taylor gave to your people at DSR 4 and Durani Station." The other man merely nodded. "We know what this war is doing to you people Sir. in the last eight years we have been at war with a race so far above us in technology it wasn't funny. With help and some of our own know-how we are now at a level where we can fight them."

"So you freely helped us with only requests for Materiel aid to keep your ship going."

He surreptitiously glanced at the woman in black at the back of the room and Silverston saw this but did not let the man know.

"Sir, if we saw what was going on we likely would have helped anyway." 

Another glance.

"What would you need to persuade you to give us access to more of your technologies? There must be something that you and your crew would like?"

"I can't say, Sir. I'm not authorized to give away anything I know. The fighter that we brought with us is the upper limit of our technology, most of which you can likely develop better versions of as compared to our own."

"Why would you say that, you have much better technology than most of our ships?"

"Sir, my ship is from the year 2005. Our technology basis is more than two hundred years behind yours."

"2005?"

"Yes, Sir. I'm aware that it's 2245 here."

The woman in the rear was now just in the Lt's peripheral vision, she did not look at all well as if something was troubling her. Pale and sickly looking she did seem to be in quite some discomfort.

"That's amazing. There was nothing like these parasites in our history. Our first alien contact was with the Centauri one hundred or so years ago and we could have done with some of these advancements back during the Dilgar war as well.

"Well the sensors should help Senator. The rest will be useful but it will take time to engineer into your ships."

"Yes. Well we really could do with some of those shields and nukes you're carrying."

"I can't do anything about that, Sir. I don't have clearance for most of those systems and the Nukes are in short supply." The senator looked at the woman again, and again the Lt didn't let it show he saw. Something was wrong and he knew he was stuck right in the middle of it.

"Excuse me Sir, may I be excused," the woman said, looking back at her the USAF officer. The woman was sweating badly and was very pale, locking eyes with him she paled even further and ran out of the doors. As they closed the sound of retching could be heard from the woman.

"Well that was strange, poor dear can't be feeling well." The Senator smiled, "Well then, what can you tell me about your fighter then, it is quite a piece of equipment especially after the damage you and your cohorts did to the Minbari."

Dennis really didn't like this guy and he had a strong suspicion why he had been brought there, and he really didn't like it

Undetermined Location  
Unknown space  
Unknown time.

"These newcomers have tipped the balance between the Humans and the Minbari."

"Yes."

"Our children are now fighting on an equal level, something they have not seen in many years."

"The battles to come will redress this balance to one side or to the other."

"If that is so then we will need to be prepared. The Minbari have followed us for a great many years and as such will not defy us or ignore our requests."

"If the Humans hold the line against their enemies, we will approach them as we did the Minbari a millennia ago."

"Agreed, these newcomers will be of help against the Shadows, and if they defy us they will be removed from the equation."

"Yes."

"Then let us watch and learn."

"The circle stands as it is."

Elsewhere  
Unknown Space  
Same Time.

"The ancients are returning."

"Indeed the time is upon us all."

"The rules have changed. This new race the Humans are much more than we thought they would be."

"I agree. The assistance from their brethren from elsewhere has changed the rules of the war. Our agents within the Human's government have started to falter as the Minbari have gotten closer."

"The assistance from these newcomers may yet be of use to us, prepare a ship and Human agent. We will find out what these newcomers are and where they are from. They may yet allow us to turn the tide against the other side when the Great war begins anew."

"At once."

"With the master's return the time to strike will soon and with these Humans it will be much the simpler."


	18. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"**What we have here is a failure to communicate."**

**USAF Achilles**

**Former Earth Alliance space**

**Close to one hour later.**

The Achilles was rocked from all sides as the large group of Minbari ships closed in on her from the flanks and the rear. Fusion cannon fire and Neutron fire impacted into the shields of the warship. Most of the shots were glancing as the jinking and jumping of the ship and the Achilles' ECM confused the enemy scanners.

"Range?"

"Enemy ships are closing, at maximum missile range."

"Launch full salvo of missiles maximum spread, maximum yield."

"Aye."

A fusillade of missiles exploded from their launchers into the midst of the Minbari ships. Within seconds most had been shot down by the defensive fire from the fighters and Minbari capital ships, three of the enhanced missiles however made it though to the Minbari warships and exploded as their proximity fuses activated the warheads.

Three times five hundred megaton explosives detonated simultaneously causing immense radiological and concussive damage to the nearest ships. The fighter and Tinashi frigates attempted to pull away and avoid the explosive effect, many manage to make it but a few unlucky pilots and crew were smashed by the explosions killing them all and damaging many more.

"Only three impacts, Sir. Fighter and intercept fire took out the rest, seems that our missiles aren't much use anymore."

"Ok, ready the railguns for fighter intercept- ready Alliance interceptors for weapons intercept."

"Aye, Sir."

As part of the exchange between the two powers, the Alliance had given technical and systems support to the Battlecruiser. One such change had been the addition to the defensive systems of the Achilles had been the inclusion of several type one interceptor systems. Only a few had been attached as they had been intended for ships and stations much larger than the USAF ship. Sa such they had been cut down to single cannons on a small turret much like the railgun turrets of the Achilles. These weapons would be useful in intercepting weapons fire from the Minbari ships and indeed any ships they came into contact with.

"Engineering, divert all power to shields and weapons. What is the status of the Asgard weapon?"

"Weapon is charged and set for repeat action. She's as ready to go as we can get her."

"Good Job chief. Bridge out. Sensors ready locks on Minbari capital ships, weapons ready the Minbari weapon."

"Aye, Sir."

"Aye, Sir."

"Helm increase speed get us further away from the Minbari, we have to get room to turn and fire."

"Aye, Sir."

"Colonel, Earth Alliance ships have confirmed inbound, in excess of sixty fighters coming in. Their entire Starfury compliment has been destroyed by the Minbari fighters."

"How many?"

"Thirty six fighters all completely destroyed."

"Any pods?"

"Negative, they're all gone.

"Keep an eye out anyway."

"Aye sir, what about the Alliance ships, without their fighter defence…."

"Their own systems should keep them safe. Their interceptors and railguns should hold off the fighters. Order them to continue to the jump gate by all means necessary."

"Aye, Sir. Sir the Main Minbari fleet are catching up to the Daedalus quickly- they won't make it to the gate in time."

"Dammit! Have them change course to meet with us we'll hit their attacks while they hit ours. Weapons ready ALL weapons with maximum loads, ready a full strength ECM burst to cover the Missiles as they go in and ready the S.O.D for immediate use."

"All secondary weapons are ready Sir, missiles being loaded now. The Asgard cannon is operational, secondary reactor at fully readiness and tied into the weapons."

"Without a hyperdrive that's a lot of power, Sir."

"We're gonna need it, Major."

"Aye, Sir. Rear shields are dropping in power, they seem to be getting better at targeting us."

"Not difficult considering we're running in almost a straight line. Fire a salvo of conventional missiles see if we can get them off of us."

"Aye Sir. Missiles are being loaded and we've got targets," the Weapons Offices said.

"Fire."

A salvo of conventional nuclear missiles, non-enhanced by naquada, sped towards the Minbari ships, again most being intercepted well ahead of their targets. This time the surrounding ships pulled away from those that exploded the nuclear payloads exploding to **ALMOST** no effect on the Minbari ships.

"They got them all Sir. Missiles are now completely non effective."

"Thought they would," said Taylor. "Increase speed, get us to the Alliance ships. We need to hit some of them before they completely destroy the Earth Force ships."

"Aye, Sir. Three minutes to intercept. The Minbari ships behind us will be in weapons range of the EarthForce ships in four and a half."

The Comms Oofficer interrupted. "Sir the Daedalus is hailing us. EarthForce reinforcements are twenty minutes from the system."

"Those ships will take us all apart in less time. Fine, let's do what we do best shall we. "Get me shooting solutions on the closest Minbari ships, ready missile salvo to assist the main guns."

"Aye Sir. Missiles are loading."

"Helm, get us between the EarthForce ships and the Minbari on their tails. Keep us there no matter what, weapons free hit em where it hurts."

"Weapons range in thirty seconds. Asgard weapon armed, fighters approaching all railguns are ready."

"Put them on computer control, but ready the systems for manual fire if we need it."

"Aye, Sir."

"Fighters coming in- energy spikes."

"Fire railguns- ready interceptors."

From the small turrets on the hulls of the Achilles small bolts of light seemed to burst from the barrels situated there, these hyper accelerated metal rounds were much stronger than the basic titanium rounds the Achilles had been using since her commission. These new rounds were made of scraps of damaged or destroyed armour from the hulls of EarthForce ships. Much stronger and heavier than the titanium rounds these new shells ripped into the enemy fighter strength. The Minbari while they had known somewhat of the railguns that were used by the Achilles were not expecting the speed and strength of the rounds or the damage that they gave to the fighters.

The survivors banked away quickly most managing to avoid the next salvo of railgun fire. The railguns were much more powerful than the massive and cumbersome guns used by the Humans on their corvettes and frigates.

"Enemy fighter strike had been diverted, Captain, they are pulling back to protect their capital ships just like the others."

"Good, makes it easier for us."

"Sir, we're in weapons range for the Asgard weapon."

"Good, I've had enough playing nice. Target the big bastards and take them down."

"Aye, Sir."

The Minbari had seen the weapons of the Achilles and were convinced that they were more than capable of hitting the Achilles while staying out of range of the Human's impressive weapons systems. Their solid state weapons, while effective, were easy to intercept, or had very short range. Their powerful energy weapon was different but was believe to be short ranged as well.

The Minbari were very wrong.

What happened next would change the way the war was fought until its conclusion.

From the very tip of the Achilles a burst of light escaped from a long and heavily armoured barrel, the energy pulse screamed away from the Achilles followed by another and then another. Within just a few seconds six pulses had been sent on their towards the Minbari ships.

Unlike the Earth Alliance and to a lesser extent some of the other younger races the Minbari had no form of intercept technology. Their use of Stealth and ECM, as well as thick armour plating and energy dispersion fields, had kept them safe for a great many years. And so now these ships had no turreted pulse weapons or twin arrays to disperse the pulses from long range.

Two pulses had been targeted at each of the closest Sharlins in range. The speed of the pulse was too much for any ship to try and move in front to save the heavy ships. Each bolt impacted their targets within milliseconds of each other the Minbari's defence systems were woefully under prepared for the full fury of a weapon designed by a race that had been in space of over thirty thousand years.

The first pulse to hit the lead Sharlin hit it head on, the ship taking the impact directly on the warcruiser's forward sections annihilating the forward weapons. The energy weapon burrowed through over three hundred metres of reinforced crystalline armour and thick internal bulkheads exploding in the very interior of the Minbari ship completely annihilating everything in its path. Decks, crew, bulkheads, systems and finally the outer hull itself ceased to exist as the immense energy released ripped through the internals of the huge Minbari ship of the line. A hole over a kilometre in length and breadth now sat where on three ships the crewed decks and hanger bays had once sat.

The second group of pulses arrived less than a second later in two cases passing through the hole made by the first shots and annihilating the entire rear sections of the Sharlins leaving little more than spinning debris and bodies, the third Sharlin was clipped in by the bolt destroying the lower fins of the warship and sending it hurtling into one of it's own escorting frigates destroying both

"Three Sharlins down Sir. The rest are coming into their own weapon's range."

"Another salvo from the guns and then get us out of here."

"Aye, Sir. EarthForce ships have engaged the Minbari task force. They are requesting assistance."

"Helm, get us there full speed."

"Aye, Sir."

The final salvo from the Achilles impacted the Minbari ships sending two of the Tinashi frigates and a number of fighters to meet Valen. In banking around the incoming fire from the combined fire of fifteen warships, the damage done to the shields of the SGC warship was severe.

"Shields are dropping in power Sir, we've taken too many hits we need to recharge and soon."

"We will once we get those Minbari off the Daedalus task force."

"Aye, Sir."

"Sir, Earth ships have destroyed two frigates and damaged a warcruiser, their taking heavy fire. They've lost the Polaris Sir." The Polaris had been the second of the task force's Hyperions.

"Tell them to get out and to the jump gate, we'll keep the boneheads busy."

"Aye, Sir."

"Engineering, time to shield regeneration?"

"Three minutes, twelve seconds."

"Can we divert power from other systems to get them up?"

"Negative, it's not the power that's the problem it's the resetting of the shield emitters and the regeneration of the shield barriers. The powers there and we will have shields; just try not to get us knocked flat in the next couple of minutes."

"No promises Chief. Bridge out."

"Daedalus and Cunningham are pulling away. The Minbari are following."

"Open a channel to the Minbari flagship. Let's see if we can get their attention away from the Alliance ships."

"Aye, Sir. Channel open."

"Achilles to Minbari commander, you momma was lovechild of a Religious caste and a Pak'ma'ra. Close channel."

"A your momma joke Colonel?" Major Davis asked

"It should get their attention shouldn't it?"

"You scare me, Joanna."

"I should hope so Paul, I should hope so."

**Shala Fi**

**Shargotti Refit Cruiser**

"Achilles to Minbari commander. Your momma was lovechild of a Religious caste and a Pak'ma'ra."

"Insolent Human! You will pay for this insult, bring us around they ware to die NOW."

"Alyt they have range on us."

"We are Warrior caste of the children of the vorlons, Bring us around and intercept that ship, they shall pay for the deaths of the Minbari they have killed this day and their impertinence against the warrior caste of the Minbari."

"Yes, Shai Alyt."

"Have the rest of the ships continue after the Earth Alliance warships the remaining ships of the second group will approach from behind the Achilles. Hit them from all sides."

"Shai Alyt, they are much more agile than our ships. they can outrun our ships and get away from our firing arcs. In addition their weapons seem to be able to destroy our ships quickly and efficiently, much more than any other we know of."

"Our ships outnumber them by dozens to one, the Earth ships are of no consequences."

"Yes, Shai Alyt."

"Ready all weapons, full strike as soon as they are in range."

"Our scanners are still having problems targeting their ship, we are getting a basic silhouette and that is all."

"Then have all ships synchronised fire to sweep space around the Human ship."

"At once, Shai Alyt."

**USAF Achilles**

"I think you got their attention, Sir," came a voice from the communications console. "The Flagship is pulling away to target us but the remaining ships are continuing after the Alliance ship. The ships behind us have been ordered to surround us."

"Sensors, are the ships after the Daedalus still in range?"

"Missile range, yes."

"Weapons- three enhanced at their back sides see if we can get their attention."

"Aye, Sir…missiles away."

A trio of the Achilles most powerful weapons hurtled towards the Minbari fleet. Eight ships backed by dozens of fighters approached the Alliance ships their fusion weapons reaching out and attempting to hit the fleeting Vessels.

The more advanced sensors allowed the two remaining ships of the Alliance to stay ahead of the locks the Minbari had but not by much, slight hits damaged components and weapons stations all along the hull. Now, the slower nova became the main target as the Minbari came closer.

Out of the three missiles fired, only a single one managed to break the gauntlet of fighters and defensive fire. It impacted on the rear of the closest frigate. The ship dissolved in a burst of light as the nuclear reaction detonated the ship's own engine core feeding the explosion to almost double its original potential.

Fighters all around the ships were annihilated by nuclear fire while entire sections of the closest frigates shattered from the shockwave causing more damage to the surrounding fighters and fliers from the massive pieces of shrapnel.

The Nova dreadnaught, already damaged stopped accelerating as it's engines were blown out by fire from one of the closest ships. The lack of acceleration meant they were coasting at their already close to maximum speed. The velocity was not enough as the Minbari ships came closer.

**EA Cunningham**

"Engines are down Sir, we've lost power to the interceptors and the Minbari are closing."

The Captain of the Nova class Dreadnaught was a relatively young and inexperienced officer with this ships being his first real command, he knew he was outnumbered, outgunned and out of time.

"I'm damned if they are gonna get off that easily."

"Sir."

"Helm turn us, bring every weapon we can bare on the closest of their ships. If we're going to die, then we take some of those bastards with us, too."

"Aye, Sir. Coming around."

"Divert power from engines and hyperdrive to all weapons. I want everything we have firing."

"Aye, Sir. Diverting."

"Scanners?"

"We've got them on scanners, Sir. Closest ship is the lead cruiser. She's coming into optimum range. I think she wants a clean kill Sir."

"Well let's give them one shall we?" He smiled.

The remaining bridge crew grinned nastily. They were going to die but by the grace of their Gods the Minbari would go with them.

"Sharlin directly ahead all weapons are locked.

"All cannons ready."

"All cannons fire at will, take them down."

With the losses that had been taken by the Alliance during the months of the Earth/Minbari war it had been all but forgotten just what the Earth ships were capable of in a fair engagement. In the twenty years since the Dilgar war the Nova class dreadnaught had become much more capable than the first run ships had been during those bloody years against a hostile race.

Now the newest of their class had had many upgrades of all kinds from basic propulsion and fighter deployment to heavier weapons and better scanners. Now for the first time since the Dilgar war a Nova class warship unleashed its entire weapons compliment at a single target.

Eighteen dual heavy pulse cannons was an impressive amount of firepower for any ship in known space. That many weapons confirmed the Nova class as a Dreadnaught. Over sixty pulses left the weapons of the Nova class ship in those few seconds that the Minbari ship closed.

Every railgun, particle beam and interceptor turret reached out for the smaller fighters, making the more nimble Minbari vessels break off their own escort to keep away from the deadly volley.

Sixty plasma pulses impacted on the thick hull armour of the Sharlin class warcruiser, the first salvo slammed against the forward sections and the flanks of the warship, the successive weapons fire impacted the same area causing massive detonations both outside and inside the ship's main hull.

Massive gaps appeared where the explosive force ripped apart armour that had kept the Minbari ship safe for more than one hundred years. The ship's hull compromised began to shatter as the atmosphere inside superheated and blew the bulkheads out.

The last dozen bolts of super heated plasma impacted the rear fin of the Minbari ship burning through the thick armour plating and igniting inside the hull itself. The explosive force caused the reactor to spike and explode taking the remaining ship's hull with it. The nova locked onto the second target and began anew.

The retaliation was swift and decisive as the last Sharlin ripped into the hull of the dreadnaught; it's immensely powerful fusion cannons gutting the hull from the midway point to the engine blocks. The weapons fire from the Nova responded with only a dozen or so bolts before the last intact portions of the ship was destroyed by neutron fire from the Sharlin and massed fusion fire from the remaining frigates.

But the sacrifice by the crew of the Nova class ship had not been in vain as the last of the task force made it to the Alliance jump gate and jumped out of the system and into the realms of hyperspace.

The escape of the Daedalus and the loss of its two escorts had left the Achilles alone in the star system. The superior attitude had cost the Minbari fleet dearly with their inherent beliefs that they were better in all ways than the Humans were.

The loss of a half dozen warships for only two Earth Alliance ships was a shock to the system for the Minbari. The reports had been filtered through the fleet at all levels about this new ship and it's impressive capabilities, but had in most ways been believe to be an exaggeration of the highest level by the survivors to justify their failure to an inferior enemy.

Now for the first time a full fleet had been assembled to destroy or disable the Achilles by any and all means necessary. Unlike in the last few engagements the Minbari ships had been able to stand up against the offensive technologies of these lost Humans. The Achilles had been damaged by the combat its shields and ECM systems seemed to be weakening by the prolonged battle against so many of their ships.

"All ships are to surround the Human ship. Put me on a communications channel to the Human ship."

"Shai Alyt?"

"This ship has led to the slaughter of almost fifty of our ships. I want them to see the face of their destruction, the blood of the slain cries out for vengeance and these humans will pay for the deaths of so many of our people.

"Yes, Shai Alyt."

"The Human ship is pulling away it's also heading for the jump gate."

"Have the second task force bar their way. Do what they have to to hold them here!"

"Sir their weapons have a greater range than our own, we may not be able to hold them here."

"No ship has the power to go through the combat we have been through and still be capable of warfare."

"Alyt their shields are dropping."

"Good, this will make it easier."


	19. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"What do you think? I think I burnt me finger."

USAF Achilles.

The damaged battlecruiser had pulled out of the engagement with the Minbari. Its power systems and shielding had been stressed close to burnout the hour of combat had strained both the ship and its crew to their limits with no end in sight.

"Sir, we're out of Minbari effective weapons range."

"Keep us away, drop shields and reset weapons for long range counterfire."

"Shields are down, Sir. All shields generators are recharging. We're resetting. Weapons are set for long range, at this speed we're should stay out of range of the Minbari weapons fire for a few minutes," Davis told her

"Power reserves?"

"The constant regeneration of the shields and the use of the Asgard weapon have drained reserve and main power systems to low levels. We've power for full sublight and shields but I don't know how much more the shield will take before burnout," replied the weapons Officer.

"Time to regeneration."

"With shields down it's at two minutes."

"Can we keep out of Minbari range?"

"No, Sir. Enemy ships are going for englobement; they'll be in range pretty soon

"Time to nearest intercept?"

"One minute, forty seconds. We've a large enemy fighter concentration coming in at full speed."

That meant raising the shields at only seventy or so percent of full power or attempting to evade for those last twenty seconds, with so many ships coming in it was a toss up if either would be of any use.

USAF Prometheus

Achilles Rift

Twelve hours post rift:

The Prometheus and its escort of the Ha'tak 'Freedom's Choice sat close to the rift that had brought the Centauri warship to their area of space, another four allied Free Jaffa pyramid ships had arrived from their Search and Rescue duties to assist with the Centauri.

Several dozen more Jaffa had gone aboard the Primus class vessel to help the first search parties that had already been aboard. Once again the patrols split up to check every room, corridor and cargo bay the ship had.

The discovery of a young Centauri of a 'House Mollari.' had been of immense help. Once he had been persuaded that they were not invaders, finally he had believed that all they were trying to do was discover any survivors of the ride through the anomaly and their transition into normal space. More rooms were searched and many more dead were found in the areas closest to the hull and the main systems such as engineering and environmental systems, etc. The search had uncovered almost one hundred twenty survivors before the search parties made it to the bridge.

The bridge was a wreck, the systems had blown out all across the deck. And crewmen had been thrown around, most killed by impacts against walls, bulkheads and consoles. One brave soul was found still in his restraints his hands still covering his controls; this one man was responsible for the arrest of the ship's uncontrolled tumble. He had died before the search crews had even come aboard, his internal injuries and cranial trauma was too severe for anything short of a sarcophagus or Asgard medical technology. There were no other survivors anywhere on the bridge or in the surrounding areas.

"Colonel, the Jaffa patrols have reported in-all areas have been checked and cleared. Total survivor count of one hundred sixty seven crew members."

Ronson stood up from his sat and looked over the scanner console, the ship was still in bad shape. If the Jaffa were right the internals were in such a bad shape that that ship may not fly again.

"Have them transfer the survivors to the Ha'taks and see if they can link their tractor beams. Let's see if we can take this ship with us, it might come in useful."

"Aye, Sir."

"What do we know about that ship?"

"With their systems down we've got a pretty good view of their internals. Ion based weapons, particle beams and some form of torpedo or missile system. It has heavy Anti-fighter capability and what seems to be a form of passive gravitic shield assembly, inferior to our own but useful for deep space travel and lighter weapons."

"Anything else?"

"Apart from the fact it carries fighters and troops, no Sir, that's it. We'd need an engineering crew to go through the ship in order to get any more."

"Good work. I'll be in Sickbay we've got some guests to greet."

"Aye, Sir."

"You have the Bridge Lt."

Sickbay

USAF Prometheus

The sickbay aboard the small battlecruiser had a number of Centauri survivors inside. A few of the least injured had been transferred there to get immediate attention. The original survivor found by the first search team was amongst them.

"Lt Mollari?"

"Good Evening, Yes ,I am Lt Carn Mollari, Centauri Royal Navy."

"Colonel Ronson, United States Air Force Commanding officer of the Prometheus,"

"Ahh yes, thank you for your assistance Colonel without it we would have surely perished out here."

"Think nothing of it."

"What is this ship? Some new prototype the Alliance has against the Minbari?"

"Not quite, in our communications with your ship your Captain mentioned the Alliance and the Minbari and that the Centauri were allies of the Humans. What can you tell us about this?"

"Same as everyone else, that Earth is at war with the Minbari, and as a result there is immense damage being done to Earthers by the Minbari. The rest of known space is staying out of this war."

"Including the Centauri?"

"Yes, some of us believe we should intervene but the Centaurum refuse to."

"So why is this war going on, what started it?"

The Centauri Officer told the story of the death of Dukhat and the consequent insanity of the entire Minbari race and the decision to attack the Humans and to wipe them out to a man. The Minbari's years in space and their advanced technology that made them the most feared race in known space.

The colonel was horrified to learn that a race as supposedly advanced as the Minbari would be willing to destroy mankind due to an accident.

"There is something though, the Centaurum have released some information about a new Human warship, a ship able to see the Minbari and with firepower to destroy multiple ships."

Ronson sat up, this rift had been in the same area that the Achilles had disappeared into, the fact that the Centauri ship had come through one way may mean that the ships on this side could go through the rift to another universe.

"Lt, do you have a name for this ship?"

"No we don't we were lucky to find out what we could about this new ship."

"Thank you, anyway."

"You are welcome. Now what has happened to our ship?"

"The transfer through the rift has damaged it severely. It is unlikely it would survive another trip through."

"How many survivors?"

"A little over one hundred fifty."

"There were over fifteen hundred aboard."

"We've accounted for a lot of them. The engine room is impossible to get into. It's locked down with some kind of protocol-we believe the reactor's exposed."

"We use an antimatter spiked fusion reactor Colonel. If it had been exposed the ship and everything around her would have been destroyed. it's more likely damage to the coolant systems or a radiation explosion. If it's been cut off there's no chance of survivors."

"Sorry to hear that."

"Can you put us in touch with our government at all?"

"No not at the moment, we're still trying to understand what the rift is exactly."

"Can't the Alliance government let my people know what happened here?"

"Mr Mollari, this may take a while to explain…"

Earthdome-Senator's offices

Two hours later:

The Air Force Lt. had been removed from the Senator's offices and shown to the guest suites specifically put aside for diplomatic reasons. And in the eyes of many, there was not much more was diplomatic than hosting one of those responsible for the chance to save the entire Alliance.

However in the offices of Senator William Clark things were not as fine as they had seemed when the meeting had first happened. His ace in the hole, one of the Psi cops in his pocket had been there to scan the other-Human pilot. The fact that she had had to leave the room only a few minutes into the meeting and hadn't returned only added to the Senator's consternation. And William Clark did not take things lightly, especially concerning anything that could mess with his plans.

He needed time and space to do what he needed to do. This young man and his impressive fighter might come in useful in his political agenda. After all, once people realise how he and he alone managed to get use advanced technologies and defences to protect earth then he would be a hero.

However now was not the time for such proclivities, his time would come and when it did the newcomers would be the push he would need to increase his power, however Clark knew he was a patient man and he would wait and see what would come from this.

But until he could get that information from these newcomers he would have to play it nice and deal with these people.

Personal Diary

William Morgan Clark

Classification: PSC-777-491

The meeting between myself and this 'Lt Silverston' went ahead as planned. The fact that the man had been in military service for so long was annoying to an extreme. The fact that he is a military minded man made it quite easy for me to persuade him to come to Earth for a debriefing.

Military people are not the smartest I've ever met and this young pilot is not much better. However, I am slightly dismayed that the telepath I had here in order to pull as much information out of this Airman as I could, left after merely a minute or so in the prese4nce of this man.

I am not too worried yet as I will have more time in order to pull this information out of the boy's head. This entire war has messed up my timetable and as such I need something to assist me in returning things to their original line. That damned idiot Santiago hasn't helped in these matters and…

The Senator paused his diary entry as the small woman re-entered the office. The Air force pilot had left to 'freshen up' as it were, however the effects of her attempted and aborted scan was obvious in her face. She was extremely pale and looked quite sickly, a small rag pressed to her nose as blood dribbled out.

"My God! Are you alright?" Clark played his sympathy card as he cared little for the telepaths. But making it seem like he did would give him trust in their eyes. And they couldn't scan him without breaking the rules and regulations imposed on them, so he was safe.

"I will be Senator. Just don't ask me to read that man again."

"Did you get anything at all?"

"No, I didn't I couldn't read him properly."

"How can that be? You're a P12 right?"

"Yes, I'm one of the most powerful telepaths in the corps, but I could not read anything about this man or where he came from."

"So you got nothing from him at all?"

"No, Senator. I couldn't see anything, when I entered his mind it… it was like… it was as if someone had tied a loudspeaker to my mind and blared out White Noise at high volumes."

"White Noise?"

"Yes Sir. It was screening him completely, it's not like anything I have ever seen or felt before. Whoever he is, he's immune to telepathic scanning in some way."

"No Human can take that kind of deep scan and not even feel it."

"I never got to the deep scan," she told him. "Once I was in the white noise overwhelmed me. It was all I could do not to throw up immediately or pass out, once I was out of the room the Noise stopped and I could hear others thoughts again."

"And the nosebleed?"

"It just appeared Sir. Once the white noise diminished my nose started bleeding, it's possible it was a side effect of the aborted scan, I' don't know what it was I… I just don't know."

"Rest up then Hazel and we shall see how you feel in the morning."

"Thank you."

The young telepath left the room and headed out into the night, returning to her home at the Psi Corps compound. Inside the offices Clark merely sat back and looked at the visual scans of the Achilles and the F-302 currently in their hands at Io Base. From the shadow behind him a dark figure approached and looked at the picture.

"Interesting ships these newcomers have."

"She couldn't read him."

"Yes I know. I felt her distress from quite a distance way."

"Who the hell are these people?"

"I do find it strange that a normal human such as this man could possibly hold off a deep scan with such ease of effort, I am intrigued I will admit."

Clark turned to look at the telepath. The features were identical to one of the men involved in the attempted acquisition of shield technology during the Achilles repair and refit earlier in the month. The man merely looked at the screen with a neutral expression on his face. He cared little for the Senator as the man was just the means to an end. He also knew the Senator thought the same of him and the rest of the Corps.

"Can you scan him?"

"No, if Hazel was unable to pass a surface scan then I doubt I will have any chance at all."

"Hmm, see if you can gather multiple Psi Cops. Maybe enough of you at the same time could see what this man's plans are."

"Indeed, It would be interesting to see the effects on the man once he's forcibly scanned by several of my people. However the problem is getting my people close to him, our powers are capable through line of sight, however if you wish for more we would need to force out way in for that we would need a tactile sensation from the man, a full contact between the two involved."

"No, we won't go that far yet. The man is still of use to us first of all as a means to a cause with his ship, and later as a bargaining chip to get at that advanced technology they refuse to give us."

"Indeed, Senator."

"Thank you for your help."

"Yes Senator, Good night."

"Good Night Mr Bester."

Stargate Command-Cheyenne Mountain

NORAD

One hour after transition of Centauri vessel:

The easiest way to contact the SGC without actually opening the gate was the use of a retro-engineered Goa'uld communications system currently installed in the NORAD Communications Centr. As the SGC was technically under the auspices of Space Command and Homeworld Security any unexpected transmissions went immediately to the SGC command station Pentagon. An emergency message from the Prometheus was one such unexpected communication. The security level was that high that Sgt Walter Davis had put the entirety of the base on alert and patched directly through to the base commander.

"General O'Neill to the Gate room immediately. Repeat, General O'Neill to the gate room."

It took less than a minute for Jack O'Neill to make it to the Gate room. He was followed closely by the remaining members of SG1. Even with O'Neill's removal from front line service the four of them continued to spend much of their On- and off- duty time together.

"General we're receiving a Code three from the Prometheus."

"Code Three?"

"First Contact with advanced spacegoing race, Sir." Carter replied.

"Oh That Code three!" Jack responded "What's the report, Sgt?"

"The Prometheus while on S&R found a form of rift in space, contact was established with a ship on the other side belonging to a race called the Centauri. That ship was pulled through the rift, badly damaged, Sir. Survivors are being treated on the Free Jaffa ships of the S&R squadron."

"Any Sign of the Achilles?"

"The report indicates nothing but they may have gone through the rift. Two destroyed Ha'taks were found close to the system."

"Send a response to the Prometheus, all ships stay on station Diplomatic team and SGC team are on their way. Have a cargo ship prepped for launch, also ready a four man flight of 302s as escort."

"Aye, Sir."

"Sam, Daniel, Teal'c- you up for a little sightseeing?"

"Aye, Sir."

"You'll be accompanying the diplomatic team as soon as they are assembled."

"Jack, the cargo ships are all in use, aren't they?" Asked Daniel

"Not all. One was released to the SGC for emergency use. Besides it was either that or send a load of civvies through a Stargate, then get there via one of the Free Jaffa's ships. Believe me I wouldn't sic any of these guys on the Jaffa.."

"Well be careful, Sir."

"Dismissed."

The trio left the room leaving a thoughtful O'Neill behind. The Prometheus and Achilles were both under Space Command's control but he thought that a hand from a senior officer of the SGC may be of use in a time like this.

"Sgt."

"Sir?"

"Change Message, Commander SGC and SG team will be accompanying the first contact team."

"You sure about that, Sir?"

"Relax Sgt. What could go wrong?"

Engineering Room

USAF Achilles.

The entire engineering section rocked as a direct hit slammed into the shields of the warship. The engineering crew were doing everything they could to keep the ship intact and functioning as the systems shorted out from time to time. But the main breakers and quick fixes kept the systems in working order.

"Those bloody Minbari again."

"Chief?"

"I tell you Thompson, every time we get this thing back in some sort of shape those bloody Aliens come around and WHAM- more stuff for us to fix."

"That's officers for you Chief. They go into combat do a load of damage get praised and we get stuck with clean up."

"Tell you something though."

"What?"

"Those engineers at Durani know how to get the most outta something. The new railguns and missile launchers are pretty good considering they only had a week or so to build em."

"They work better than the originals in my book boss."

"Damn straight. Their computer systems have put most of our systems on overdrive as well. I tell ya summit Thompson, if we had the production capabilities like Durani station has we'd be churning out ships damned fast. Those bloody snakeheads would get a good old-fashioned kicking when they came knocking."

"Maybe they'll giver us a few of those Novas to refit once we find a way back home."

"Aye that would be useful. A load of the Asgard weapons and shields on one of those things and nothing short of the really big bastards would stand a chance."

"Well all things considered Chief I think we're doing alright. A kill record of fourteen ships in only a few weeks is pretty good."

"Maybe, ahh hell."

"Chief?"

"Bridge, Engineering, we're losing power from the secondary reactor."

"Why?" came a voice from the PA system.

"Not sure, possibly feedback from the shields or something's been knocked loose in the power train. We're gonna look. "

"Get moving, we need that reactor. We're coming up on the biggest number of Minbari ships we've seen and without that extra power the main weapon won't be of much use."

"We're on it, try not to get us killed boss."

"No promises, Chief. Just get the reactor assembly back in order."

"Wilco Boss."

The two engineers ducked into the reactor rooms to take a look at the damaged reactors. The triple in series Naquada cores were the most powerful conventional powerplants in the hands of the Human race. With the destruction of the Naquadriah reactor from the Prometheus and the lack of Naquadriah to build more, the generators had been upgraded and changed back to basic Naquada energy production. In addition, a third generator was installed. The assistance of the Asgard with their weapons and shields allowed the trio of generators to feed power into every system they had aboard. The main generator as the original twin system was known powered everything from the toilets to the shields while the third generator was dedicated to offensive and defensive systems. Now with the hyperdrive's destruction all the extra power that would have been used for travel between the stars had been diverted to the shields and weapons systems. Even so the third reactor was a necessity in combat. The Asgard weapon was a hungry beast after all.

"Ok Thompson take the port side check the power trunks, the breakers and the fuel rods."

"Got it."

The two men split up to check both sides of the reactor assembly. The massive reactor took up a large area of floor space. Close in size to a nuclear reactor it was also one of the most dangerous constructs ever built by Human hands. The reactor was intact and looked to be working fine, the power was still ticking over while the reactor controls were still locked into place.

"Thompson you got anything?"

"Bog all chief nothing on this side."

"Nothing on this side either."

"Could be in the transfer systems to the weapons systems, any break there would shut the system down completely."

"Take Hughes and Simpson up there and check it out, I'll keep an eye on this thing down here."

"Aye. Chief."

"Bridge, Engineering."

"Go ahead."

"The secondary reactor's in perfect working order. I've sent an engineering team up to the weapons power transfer systems. It could be a short we missed during repairs or a new one from combat."

"Got that Chief," the colonel responded. "Get the rest of your people on Damage control we've got more Minbari on our tails."

"That's all I bloody need."

"What was that chief?"

"Never mind bridge, we'll take care of it. Engineering out." Walking away from the reactor anyone listening would have head the chief mumbling. "They think the Minbari are bad; god knows but with that woman driving this damn bucket won't least another day."

EA Ticonderoga

Relief Fleet

Four minutes out from Achilles position.

A little over an hour ago the command station at Beta Durani had picked up an emergency signal from the advance fleet working up just outside of Alliance space. The four ships of the fleet had been attacked by a full attack fleet of Minbari capital ships.

Twenty five ships had been counted by the time the Alliance forces had been caught by the Minbari. Contact had been lost not long afterwards by Minbari jamming systems as the sensors may not have been affected. But the advanced communications of the Achilles' and her fighters had not yet been reverse engineered.

The last transmission sent to the Daedalus task force had been that they would receive reinforcements as fast as they could be assembled. The last of the Durani Fleet's sensor refit ships had to be one of those sent, without the sensors the reinforcements would not stand a chance against the Minbari warships.

Their orders had been clear, the Achilles and the Daedalus task force had to be brought back at all costs. They were too important to the war effort to be allowed to be destroyed by the Minbari fleet. With that in mind twenty warships of the Durani defence force broke dock and headed into hyperspace on a rescue mission that was desperately needed by the Daedalus.

The Daedalus herself had been recovered in Hyperspace barely ten minutes out from the battle field, its armour scored and burnt in a dozen places and its weapons turrets fused or destroyed the heavy cruiser was in bad shape. Its hastily transmitted report gave the reinforcement fleet the information that ha been lacking in the original report. That was the fact that the fleet had been ambushed by a force that seemed to know all about them and in particular to destroy the Achilles itself.

The relief fleet was now only minutes from jumping into normal space. Twenty two ships of all kinds had immediately volunteered for this mission. Humans had a way of showing that they looked after their own and after what the Achilles had done to keep them all alive they would pay back the battlecruiser's crew ten fold even at the cost of their own lives.

"Captain Coming up on the Beacon, ninety seconds to jump ."

"Signal the Flagship."

"Ticonderoga to Nautilus."

"This is Nautilus go ahead."

"We're coming up on the jump point, sensor systems are operational and we're ready for widescan broadcast."

"Good, all ships ready for jump, good luck Ticon."

"You too Nautilus, Ticon out."

"Jump in twenty seconds."

"All weapons station to defensive posture. We're all that stands between the fleet getting it in the neck, or getting the Achilles out of there."

"Aye, Sir, all weapons to defensive. We've got four squadrons of 'Furies' taking up perimeter action station around us, looks like we're covered for now."

"Signal from Flagship, all ships Jump."

"JUMP!"

Four jump points opened up around the jump gate itself, spewing out almost half a dozen ships each. The fleet came under almost instant fire as the Minbari ships closest to them broke off the chase of the Achilles and attacked the Earth ships as they came out. Six Hyperions went down in flames before the fleet even knew where they were. Nova and Olympus ships returned fire slamming into the Tinashi and Sharlin class warships.

Nineteen Minbari warships were seen in system as the Earth Alliance ships formed up. The wrecks of a half dozen destroyed by the four ships of the task force lay strewn across the system. The Achilles herself was barrelling away from the encircling warships attempting a break out and retreat to the Alliance ships, the small warship lurched as twin neutron cannons reached out and slammed into the ship's shields.

In response, three bolts were fired from the very bow of the warship each impacting in the same area one after the other causing the massive warship to disintegrate under the immense energies released against it. The Achilles spun around and pushed its engines to maximum the remaining fighters of the Minbari ships coming after it. Railguns took out any that got close enough but the fighters were wise to the warship's weapons and few were willing to get into range.

The Minbari ships returned fire against both the Achilles and the Alliance ships. More and more ships from both sides went down under bombardment from fusion cannons, plasma bolts, missiles and neutron weapons fire.

Armour was ripped though and internal systems ripped apart as accurate firepower found critical junctures and crippled or destroyed enemy ships. The Minbari ships were much larger and as such easier to hit with the newest scanners that were installed aboard the Ticonderoga.

Fighters from both sides mixed it up in amongst the duelling leviathans of the two fleets, Nials and Starfuries were burnt down and blown out of the stars by the others. The outnumbered Nials used the defensive fire of their own capitals ships to defend themselves catching roving patrols in crossfire.

The ships of the Minbari were much more powerful and well armoured and for every hit the Earth forces could score on their hated enemies, three raked through the thick armour of the Alliance ships. A twenty two ship fleet had been reduced to eleven ships within minutes, half the fleet had been crippled or destroyed quickly and efficiently. The Earth forces had barely made a dent against the huge Sharlin warships and their escorts.

Two more ships, one Hyperion and a Nova Class warship went down under concentrated fire, their scattered weapons fire barely making a scratch against the Minbari's armour. The Achilles own weapons destroyed another Sharlin and crippled a Tinashi as it passed by into the midst of the Earth ships.

"Nautilus to all ships, Condition Rogue. Break off and JUMP."

The surviving ships of the Earth fleet turned tail and ran. The ships accelerated for the jump points opened by their ready ships and jumped into hyperspace leaving the dead and dying of both sides behind.

The cost of the battle had been monstrous for the Alliance forces. The fight had been expected to be an equal one for the first time in a fleet battle but they had been woefully wrong. Even with the accuracy of the targeting information from the Ticonderoga and the fact that they had outnumbered the Minbari ships, the EA fleet had been routed in the worst possible way- by the loss of sixteen ships to the Minbari forces.

EA Nautilus

"Fleet Report."

"Massive losses Sir, our ships couldn't take the Minbari on at close to point blank. Every ship that has survived the battle had been damaged in one way or another, Sir. The Achilles has lost primary power and its entire defensive grid is down they are on batteries only."

"Can we get a signal to them?"

"No Sir the ship's cold, nothing coming in or out, they're lifesigns but that's it."

"Dispatch a shuttle. We'll see if we can help them out."

"Aye, Sir."

"What were our losses XO?" asked Smith

"Sixteen ships Sir. We managed to retrieve about seventy percent of the Starfury squadrons. The Minbari were just too close Sir. The scanners couldn't see them until we were jumping out of hyperspace."

"Too damn much XO."

"Alex, we've been lucky so far."

"I know Kat, I know. We just gotta hold on a while until the bigwigs back home can figure out the tech of the captured ships and the stuff from the Achilles. I can't believe it's only been a couple of hours since the distress call, feels a hell of a lot longer."

"That's what war does to you, makes you lose all sense of time."

"Thanks Kat. What's our own status?"

"Most of the weapons systems are still intact, we've lost about a third of our Starfuries. Armour and defence systems are compromised on both flanks and main power has dropped to barely manageable levels."

"Better than most, Commander."

"Only just Sir. Two of the surviving ships aren't fit for combat. The two will have to be scrapped for parts."

"Which ones?"

"Clarkstown and Hastings."

"Two ships directly off the slipways… unbelievable."

"The Hyperions aren't doing too well in this war Alex. To tell the truth I'm surprised that we've still got them on the frontlines."

"Yeah I suppose, I suppose so."

"A shit load of cruisers built over thirty years and only good for cannon fodder. Even the Novas are taking a pounding."

"Sir, we have signals coming in from ahead of us, IFF transponders are consistent with EA second and Home fleets."

A secondary reinforcement group fresh from the EarthForce fleet base at Proxima base. Sixty ships from the Proxima and Earth Fleets had been assembled to reinforce the outlying systems that were under siege by the Minbari encountered the remaining ships of the reinforcement fleet.

"Lexington to Nautilus, come in."

"We ready you Lexington. Nice to see you Captain Styles."

"What happened?"

"The Minbari overwhelmed us, we lost all but what you see here, the Achilles is intact but God knows we paid the price."

"We ready you and we've got your back. However we've been instructed to return with the Achilles to the Sol system, it's too dangerous out here to allow them to stay."

"We'll let them know, Lexington."

"The Nautilus, the Achilles and the prototype refit Hyperions are to return with us to Earth, The Lexington will accompany you while the rest of the ships reinforce the midrange defence posts."

"But the refits are the only ships that have been set up for SWACS, without them the rest of the ships are vulnerable until the scanner network is completed."

"I'm aware Captain but these are orders from Earthdome itself, Senator Clark's office."

"Him again."

"Yes 'him again' Captain. Apparently Earthdome consider the fact that so much damage has been done to the Minbari forces in the area that the Hyperions in service are needed elsewhere."

"The Scanner systems in system aren't ready and the Daedalus is in bad shape, she won't be able to make it to Earth or any other system until repairs are made. These may be orders from up high, Captain but as the Fleet Captain I will not allow my crews to be put in danger like that, not until the Daedalus is in condition to leave Beta Durani."

"I understand that Captain. It's possible that we can get EarthDome to back off for a few days citing the damage to the Daedalus but not much longer."

"What about the Achilles? Achilles does not answer to Earthdome as they are not under the Auspices of the Alliance. If they wish to stay at Durani there is little we could do to make them leave and I doubt many of the crews at the Station would be willing to force them to."

"Yes, I've been thinking about that. If the Achilles does not choose to leave we will not make them it is that simple. The rest of the ships will be removed to Earth and Proxima for immediate inclusion into the Local systems until the R&D guys get scanner units out to the fleet."

"Aye, Sir. Captain any news about the Wolf station? We've heard nothing for almost a week."

"Nothing, Captain. As such the surrounding stations have been reinforced and are being refitted with the first scanners out of the construction yards based on the designs fitted on the Daedalus."

"Do we know why?"

"No not yet, it's possible it has something to do with the massive Quantium forty deposits found in the Wolf System. It may be some kind of jamming but we've heard nothing. The Minbari usually leave a survivor to let us know how they've wiped out our people, but nothing yet."

"Thank you, Sir."

"All ships are returning to Durani base immediately. We'll contact Earthdome and explain about the Daedalus."

"Aye, Sir."

"Lexington out."


	20. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

"**It's Oh Six hundred and what does the Oh stand for OH MY GOD IT'S EARLY"**

**USAF Achilles**

**Omega Bay 6**

**One day post arrival Durani Station.**

The remnants of the three ship groups finally made it back to Durani station a few hours after their return to hyperspace. The critically damaged units of the first and second task forces had been towed by the other ships left of the second fleet. The Achilles had also been towed through Hyperspace by a Nova class dreadnaught even as its primary power was restored.

The reinforcement fleet had taken up the slack of the damaged fleet ships from the survivors and had taken every ship under tow until they could get back to Durani Base. Space around the fleet yards was almost empty as the ships in the system had retreated back allowing the beat up survivors to stumble into the system assisted by their reinforcements.

The crews of the duty defensive units watched stoically as the damaged ships were brought into empty docks that were ready specifically for their repair. Ironically, the ships that had originally launched only days beforehand ended up in the same docks as they had been constructed in. The last ship of the fleet, the Achilles herself now under her own power drifted towards the Omega bay, alone. It seemed that the ship and its crew blamed themselves for the loss of so many ships in one day. All the work they had done to keep the shipyards and fleet together and intact had been for naught as many of the ships that had fought by them in battle had been destroyed by the Minbari only days after the battle that had defeated them once before. And all because the Achilles had been out there with them

Once docked the assigned technicians from the Alliance shipyards started to swarm over the outer areas of the ship checking for any form of damage on the hull, inside the USAF crew were assisted by still more of the technicians only stopping them from working on those systems that were off limits to the Alliance crews.

"How bad is it Chief?" asked the Colonel.

"Not as bad as we thought Sir. The shields are operational. A Couple of the breakers had to be rest and a few of the circuit boards and crystals had to be rewired or replaced. The entire system was badly strained but a day or so should have it working again. The weapons systems are completely intact and working. The problem is that our weapons stocks are badly depleted and without some assistance we'll be out of missiles by the end of the next battle we fight possibly two. Lastly the attempt to rewire the hyperdrive using the specs for a Goa'uld derivative as used by the Prometheus last year has come back negative. We just can't get this lady to hyperspeed."

"We should have expected that, anything else?"

"Well, the railguns need a quick check outside but the used rounds can be replaced by the Alliance shipyards. Colonel in the cargo bays we still have a couple hundred tons of partially refined Naquada."

"I know Chief, but I'm not sure allowing the Alliance access to that stuff is a good idea."

"I know Sir, but without some nukes and refined ore we're gonna be out of luck and damned soon."

"I'm not sure the use of the missiles will be of much use after today Chief, the Minbari know what the missiles are capable of. They can knock out our missiles without a problem."

"Maybe the Alliance can help I've been looking over their weapons specs their missiles may be of more use they are faster than our own, but not much different in size, they might be willing to help."

"But at what price Chief? They might ask for a hell of a lot and with the way things are going for the Alliance I'm not sure what they will do with it."

"I agree Colonel, but without help we're pretty much useless. No long range weapons and no hyperdrive, we're dead in the water for anyone that wants to come after us."

"Thanks Chief, anything else?"

"Just one thing Colonel, we've been over every inch of the secondary reactor system, and we can't find a thing wrong with it. There should have been no fall off in power during the battle."

"Enemy weapons fire?"

"Not that I know of, the shields can't feedback into the power system. The bleed off systems and shield generators would have taken the shield power and redirected it into the shields."

"What do we need?"

"We're going to have to strip her down and rebuild her completely. We can't risk a collapse of the reactor during combat again."

"How long?"

"Three weeks minimum."

"THREE WEEKS?"

"Sorry Colonel, the damn things the most complex pieces of Human hardware on this ship. The fact is if we find anything seriously wrong with the reactor we may have to strip all three down, we're stuffed either way."

The Colonel sat down on one of the consoles, her ship was in bad shape. Nearly three weeks of constant combat the systems were taking a pounding. They couldn't go on a full shut down and refit yet, not until Durani station was ready for combat with the new Scanners.

The fact that they had been on shakedown when they had been diverted here, wherever 'here' wa,s had been one of the problems. With a shakedown they would have returned to Earth. The ship's systems would have been repaired and updated and the ship pronounced combat worthy soon afterwards."

Now the ship was in bad condition; crew numbers were down by over a third, shields and weapons were damaged or at least needing refit and rearmed. They had lost three of their fighters to different means. The crew as well as the ship were on the verges of burnout and now in order to repair the ship they would have to move again and risk further combat with insufficient weapons loads.

"Dammit. Ok chief do what you need to do?"

"Aye, Sir."

"Can this be done while on the move at all?"

"I believe so Sir."

"Without it do you think the ship is operational enough a full move out of the system?"

"Yes Sir, the secondary can be taken offline. The primary is in working order even without the power from the secondary we're in battle condition. The secondary reactor will need to be removed totally though so as not to risk an explosive overload in any way."

"We won't need it for battle Chief. Apparently we've been offered a tow to the Solar System as soon as possible, and apparently we're to be congratulated and thanked for our help by the Alliance Senate. What's more we're being asked to go in order to protect us from any Minbari counterattacks that come in this way. Obviously they are aware of our system's problems."

"I'll believe that when I see it. A government that wants only what's good for the Military under their command. With this ship in the system they'll believe they are safe."

"I agree, it's a set up Chief, that's all."

"Well we're ready to go if we need to be."

"Two days Chief. Let's see if we can help out Durani station before we leave."

"Aye, Sir."

**Earthdome**

**Senator's Offices**

**Same time.**

The offices of the Senate of the Earth Alliance were in usual cases a serene and friendly place for those whom for whatever reason came into them. High security and a large contingent of guards made any attempt to force their way in impossible. The guards knew their jobs and did them well. Two such guards looked over the guest of one of the Senators and after declaring him clean admitted him and his bodyguards to the Senate offices.

The guest and guards made their way to one of the upper hierarchy of the senate. The offices of the Senator for Military readiness and expenditure looked relaxed as a man like he could be under the strain this man must be under.

"Ahh good Morning Lt. I hope you slept well."

"Very well, thank you."

"Oh I'm sorry please forgive me. My name is Santiago, Senator Luis Santiago."

"Lt Dennis Silverston, acting Commanding Officer of Alpha Squadron, USAF Achilles."

"Nice to meet you, Lt. Please have a Seat."

"Thank you .Sir."

"Please no formalities, its Luis or Senator if you prefer. I remember how it was."

"Thank you Senator."

"I must admit I was surprised to hear about your ship's appearance in Alliance Space those weeks ago. We've had problems with most first contacts we've had over the past thirty years or so believe me on that."

"As I've been told."

"We thought we were almost invincible when that war ended, shows how wrong we were especially after contact with the Minbari went sour."

"You were military, weren't you, Senator?"

"You got me Lt. Captain Luis Santiago, Wing Commander EA Avenger."

"Yes Sir, the way you mentioned the involvement in bad first contacts, I assumed you were in your Dilgar war."

"Indeed, we were part of the first and indeed final assaults on Dilgar territories. I understand from reports by Colonel Travmakov former CO of DSR4 that your own race's first non-terrestrial contact went quite badly with the parasite creatures."

"Yes, Sir. The Goa'uld are quite a problem for us. A few other races have also been against us from the beginning, the Replicators, Ashen, and others have all been a problem."

"But you have allies as well?"

"Yes, Sir. A few that are willing to help us against the enemies at the Gates, and I mean that literally, Sir."

"Yes, a Russian saying that goes well with your world's primary off world travelling method. We could do with someone like that here."

"Sir, all of this is in the reports from the Achilles. Why am I here?"

"No other reason than I wanted to meet you Lt. A Human from somewhere far away that helped to defend people he didn't even know and didn't have to care for. Few people would have willingly done what you and you ship did Lt it is an honour to know such people."

"Thank you, Sir."

"Come Lt, let's take a walk."

The two men left the room their guards clambering after them not quite expecting the fact that a meeting would so quickly turn into an impromptu 'walk about the gardens'. The Lt and the Senator walked in front and headed outside the offices into the massive garden built into the middle of Earthdome itself.

The domed roof sat over a half mile above their head keeping the inside of the Senate offices dry and comfortable. A massive storm had picked up above them and now the thick clouds moved slowly above them and rain hammered the thick plexiglass panels causing a slight and almost inaudible rumble to run through the construction. In all it was an amazing a quite comforting sight to the people inside.

"This is one of my favourite times inside Earthdome. When you're in space you forget just what a good thunderstorm is like. I always just sat outside my house whenever I was on leave and watched the weather."

"Our ships don't spend more than a few days or soon a patrol, but it always good to just come back and feel the real weather on your face and not the recycled oxygen supplies on a warship."

"It's worse on a fighter as well."

"Damn straight, even worse it you had Mexican food the night before."

"That's just wrong."

"To be honest I wasn't expecting to be called up for Recon duty for the Achilles. I was just on the list if a guy went down, appendicitis it was this time."

A thunderclap rumbled overhead as multitude of lightning bolts hit the dome cascading along the plexiglass and metal supports of the dome, the glass darkened slightly and a different rumble of machinery went running through the dome.

"Damn that was right on top."

"Yes, the dome is proofed against multiple strikes on its surface, it has to be at that height."

"Incredible."

"I understand I'm not the first to meet you since your arrival on Earth."

"Senator?"

"I know you've been working for Io Station R&D for the last week or so. I'm the one who had you transferred there instead of Proxima Command. However I also understand you talked to Senator Clark yesterday."

"Yes I received a request to come to EarthDome to meet him. He said pretty much the same as you. 'Thank you for helping us, etc', although he was more than slightly interested in out offensive and defensive technologies."

"Still, thank you for your assistance and the assistance of your people, without it many more people would be dead right about now."

"As I said to the other Senator, we couldn't just stand by and watch as helpless ships get butchered."

"Your ship destroyed multiple Minbari ships of the line. That is still very impressive. Your sensors were a gift from the gods in the end. The capability of seeing the Minbari in a one on one dual is something that can't be praised enough."

"It looks like your people needed it Senator. We were all too glad to help. Believe me we know about this type of warfare back home."

"Indeed. Well I won't lie to you Lt. Most of the Senators and the higher ups in the Military want those shields and especially those weapons you use. The nukes alone are incredible, but the energy weapon you used would be a godsend to our ships. The war is going badly Lt Silverston. The systems we've received from your ship and the possible technologies gathered from the Minbari ships the Achilles and your fighters disabled will help us immensely."

"I realise that Sir. But I'm not authorised to hand over any information not already available."

The two men sat on one of the many benches that were strewn around the gardens, the Senator unbuttoned his jacket and relaxed. Looking at the younger man he realised that he had the wrong end of the stick as it were.

"Oh dear me, I'm sorry you misunderstand. As a former pilot I remember taking orders that meant one thing or maybe another. More than that since I became a Senator I also know that treaties made with another country or power has nothing to do with anyone else not directly involved with it. These Agard…"

"Asgard Senator. The Asgard are the most powerful race in the known galaxies. Their assistance in the construction of some of our systems is strictly controlled and we won't break the treaty unless ordered to by the Asgard or the JCOS and the President."

"Good, that means your people are loyal and duty bound. I admire that. Still any other help you can give us is very much appreciated Lt by us all. With luck some of these systems will give us the edge we need to hold the Minbari back."

"We'll try, Senator."

"Good, it was nice to meet you son."

"You too, Sir."

"Watch your back with some of these Senators, son. They will do anything they can to get what they want, watch Clark he's the worst."

"Aye, Sir. we've a few like Clark, reminds me of Kinsey."

"Senator Robert Kinsey?"

"Yes Sir, but how…"

"We had a Kinsey in government in the early 21st century. He led the Anti-Alliance group that believed that national pride and identity would be lost and that the United States would be able to stand alone in the future."

"Sounds like ours as well."

"Ours was shot on his Inauguration day, turns out six snipers were set up in case any missed the shot. They didn't need the C4 charge found planted in the podium in the end, some people really wanted him dead."

The Lt laughed at the thought of Kinsey, the bane of the SGC and by and large the Three- Zero projects being put out of their misery forever. But this was the closest they would get without physically feeding the annoying Ex-Vice president, Ex Senator and all round Pain in the Arse to the snakeheads.

"I think it may be the same guy Senator, or at least a version of him."

"Still I do not understand if he exists here then we may be your future, however nothing else including your Stargate Command seems to exist here. If it had we would not have the problems we are now with the other races."

"I don't know Senator, but we will find out."

"Thank you for meeting me Lt. I will have orders cut having you returned to Io Station as soon as possible and it has been an interesting convocation to have. I rarely have the chance these days to confer with Pilots of any sort, so thank you for that."

"My pleasure Senator."

The two men separated, one back to his offices and the other back to his place of residence to pack his belongings for his transfer. Neither man noticed the very pale man running out of the garden his nose and eyes streaming blood.

**Peterson Air Force Base**

**Space Command**

**Classified Hanger**

**Twelve hours after transition of Centauri Warship**

The classified hanger at Peterson Air Force had at times been home to different types of classified vehicles, from the F117, the prototype F22, to the prototypes X302 and X303 of the SGC fleet. Recently it had become home to one of the SGC's growing fleet of Tel'Tac Cargo ships.

The Cargo ships had been a gift to the people of the Tau'ri and by extension the armed forces and the SGC itself. The Free Jaffa had gathered almost two dozen of the vessels and given them to the Tau'ri with their thanks for their assistance in freeing the Jaffa peoples.

One such vessel had been attached to the command staff of Stargate command and could be used for official and quite often 'unofficial' business that the SGC were well known for. That one vessel named 'Enterprise' as the General's sense of humour again came into play was now assigned use as the official conveyance of the SGC's negotiating and First contact teams.

The team in charge of the singular honour of guarding a team ready for first contact with an advanced species, were gathered outside the transport awaiting their civilian contingent. The scientists and diplomats had disagreed from the start with the fact that any armed force would be going with them into this situation. The following conversation with General O'Neill had explained to them in no uncertain and diplomatic terms that the Centauri were already surrounded by allied warships. Also members of the crews of the Prometheus and the Free Jaffa ships have been in contact with the Centauri since the first time they had been in contact through the rift.

Lastly they were diplomats and had no idea how to fly the cargo ship and he was sending those people who knew the most about the ship they were travelling on. Finally quite annoyed at the constant arguing of his orders he had just told them to deal with it or he would quite gladly tie them up put them in the rear of the cargo ship and then boot them out head first onto the hanger of the Prometheus when they got there. As was the reaction to anyone that got in O'Neill's face or on his last nerve, they shut up quickly and moved on without any further problems.

"What do you think Teal'c?"

"It seems that he may be thinking of combat DanielJackson. It would be in his best interests while the opponent is not aware that an enemy is watching their every move. Fortunately the antagonist has ammunition while the opponent does not."

"You know he'll lose."

"Of course, but it's the way he loses that will determine his further courses of action."

The two members of SG1 sat on several supply boxes next to the cargo ship, in Teal'c's hands a paperback copy of the best of Calvin and Hobbes was being read by the two men. Currently they were discussing the virtues of attacking an enemy with a snowball in the middle of summer.

"You two know how to overanalyse a comic strip way too much." Jack said as he approached, "It sucks the fun right out of it."

"Hey Jack, come to see us off."

"Nope. Change of plan, I'm coming with."

"O'Neill does your duties as Commanding officer of Stargate Command not preclude you from this meeting?"

"Nope as Commanding Officer of the SGC I'm within my rights to attend a first contact. Besides I'm going nuts in that office while you guys get to go out there and do stuff."

"Ok, we're still awaiting the contact team."

"Apparently not."

"Jack?"

"Well since I'm going it seems SG-1 as a whole is the contact team. It just the four of us going as the others were reassigned at the last moment, or we will do once Carter gets here. Why is it always the women who are late for these things?"

"She's already aboard Jack. She's checking out some of the systems we installed."

"Oh, let's go then."

"Jack."

"Danny."

"They were reassigned?"

"Yep."

"Bet the order had Brigadier General Jack O'Neill on the bottom though."

"Still orders Danny still orders."

On board the cargo ship boxes of supplies for the Prometheus filled the ship to the rafters. Much of it were medical supplies and food for the survivors of the Centauri ship. Some of it was to restock the Prometheus itself so it's crew could continue with S&R operations if necessary.

Lt Colonel Sam Carter was tucked underneath one of three consoles attached to the ship's systems. Each controlled a newly installed system to assist the crews of the cargo ships. This was the first and if they worked the way they were supposed to then more would be installed on the other ship's of their small cargo fleet.

"CARTER?"

"General, what are you doing here? Coming to send us off?"

"Nope, I'm coming as well. The contact team now consists of the four of us."

"Oh, well that's good. We've got the experience to do so., What happened to the rest of the contact team?

"They were transferred and given new orders, something to do with one of the new race's we met don't know which one."

"Old times, Jack."

"Old times, Sam."

"Well. we'll be ready, Sir."

"That's what I thought. So we ready to go?"

"Yes, Sir. Systems are ready and the supplies are aboard, when Teal'c's ready we can go."

"Good. T' you ready to go?"

"Indeed, O'neill."

"Then take us up and set course for the Prometheus."

The large Jaffa merely inclined his head and lifted the small cargo ship off of the hanger floor and out of the doors. The cargo ship lifted up into the air and out into space the spy satellites of the world powers tilted away from the ships escape vector. With a sharp burst of light the ship hit hyperspace and continued towards the Earth Warship. Behind Teal'c on the small dais that took up the centre of the control section the three other members of SG-1 went through the reports and photos they had gathered from the Centauri, and scans of the warship that they had brought through.

"Jack, this Centauri ship is huge."

"Yeah I noticed damn thing must be a mile long."

"Close, strange it looks almost Asgard in appearance just with spikes and angles instead of the curves of their ships. The scheme looks almost Goa'uld as well but apparently they've never head of them or the Asgard if the reports are right."

"The technology is impressive as well, their energy weapons are powerful and their computers are extremely advanced. However there's no sign of shielding or any kind of transport system."

"So big and dumb and with a glass jaw- sounds like that idiot I lost twenty bucks on last week."

"That's about it, Sir."

"Teal'c you ever hear of these Centauri or Minbari?"

"I have not," the reply came from the Jaffa piloting the vessel.

"So this rift is what a hole in space or something?" Danny asked.

"Well apparently these Centauri know of Humans and of a group called the Earth Alliance. A very powerful group of planets in their area of the Galaxy currently at war with an even more powerful race- remind you of anyone."

"So the future or something."

"Well to take a guess Sir, I'd say no otherwise they wouldn't be surprised at anything about our ships and the Centauri survivors seem to be trying to buy the technology from the crews of the S&R Squadron."

"So what… Oh no, not again, not after the trouble we had with that damn mirror."

"Jack?"

"The Quantum mirror Danny. If they aren't from the future and aren't from this area of the galaxy or anything else, they have to be from another universe AGAIN."

"That would explain a few things, possibly what happened to the Achilles as well."

"You think they might have gone through do you?" asked Sam.

"It's possible."

"So why wouldn't the Centauri have heard about the Achilles?" asked Jack

"They said Earth is in the middle of a war right?" Jack nodded. "Well if you had an ace in the hole wouldn't you keep it out of sight until it was time to use it? Hell, they could get technical information from a wreck.

If there were survivors they could get more information from them as well. As it is, only a few rumour about the Alliance destroying entire Minbari task forces has filtered through the channels to them."

"Asgard won't be happy 'bout that," said Jack.

"It's not our fault, Sir. The Achilles if they are over there, was pulled in by accident. There's no way we could have known. It would take an immense amount of time and technical know how to reverse engineer either the shields or the main weapon. The rest of the ship is based on our own technology and with a higher tech level it wouldn't be a problem."

"Ok Carter, see what you can make out from those scans of the Centauri ship. Find out if there's anything of use to us that we can trade for."

"I'll try, Sir. But from these scans, there's not much left intact. I'll be surprised if it ever gets underway again."


	21. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"Oh give a home where the buffalo roam and I'll show you a house with a very messy carpet."

Durani Station Two

Beta Durani

One Day Later

On the outer reaches of the Beta Durani station a group of smaller fleet ships were repairing and updating the long-range scanner systems. Both the normal space and hyperspace capable scanners were under reconstruction by the Earth Alliance warships still combat capable and online. The Olympus class ships and the few Cotton Class tenders were assigned this work while shuttles and construction pods were reconfiguring the inner system scanner grids. The updates would hopefully allow the scanners to see the Minbari ships in both hyper and normal space.

The redesigned and rebuilt Tau'ri based scanners were the basic parts of the newly built additions to the defensive line. Several small railguns were also being added to satellite and asteroid listening posts scattered around to assist the Standard particle beams that were part of the defensive systems already assigned to the satellites.

"Sir, message from the Corvette Eclipse."

"Go ahead."

"Sir, the last of the scanner packages are in place on the outer system stations. They're being placed on the shipyard perimeter as well. The entire refit should be ready in about two hours."

"Good work, Eclipse. Let us know when the entire system is online and we'll do a run up and test."

"Aye, Sir. Eclipse out."

"Looks like things are coming together XO," said the General

"Aye, Sir. The scanner systems should let us see any attacking ships without need of an SWACS ship. Apparently Proxima and the rest of the Midrange posts are also setting up their own scanner systems based on ours."

"Best to have the infrastructure of our stations intact than not. Once the scanners are set up XO increase production of ship based systems. We want the entire fleet equipped within the next month."

"We'll try Sir, but we're low on some of the necessary supplies needed. We might get two dozen or so ships refitted but without resupply from Logistics command, we won't get many more done."

"Do what you can XO. I'll talk to Earthdome try to get supplies diverted here."

"Good luck, Sir."

"I'm gonna need it, Xo."

The General stalked away from this command station. The XO knew that it would be like pulling teeth to get more supplies to their base. The entire Human race was at war for their very existence and the bean counters and head-up-their-own-arse Senators claim things are too expensive. The thought of many of the people on the front lines were 'What the hell use is money going to be if there's no Human race or Earth left to use it'. The REMFs had no clue about the real cost of the war or the fact that unless the frontlines got what they needed there would be no chance of getting through this war intact.

"Commander, we've been going over the active ship lists for the surrounding sectors. We're still taking serious losses all along the front. The best bet we have is once the first two-dozen ships are ready, scattering them to the local fleets may be the best use of the ships we have."

"Agreed. The main scanner refits to the station are almost done. Once the first twelve vessels are done ready them for dispersion once EarthForce gives us orders."

"Aye, Sir."

"What's the timetable for the refits?"

"Most of the refit ships are those coming off the slipways. It's an extra week for all the ships to be refit to the new specs, both scanners and weapons are being constructed as quickly as possible. The entire squadron should be finished by the end of next week to ten days from now."

"The rest?"

"The rest of the ships will be under refit when the docks are cleared. We've too many ships in the docks to do more than the few we are doing."

"Too many ships in a system; never thought I'd hear that during this war."

"It wouldn't be if we didn't have the assistance of the Achilles Sir. Most of the survivor crews are gonna be upset to see them go."

"They're not the only ones, without that ship I doubt any of us would be left alive here to say goodbye. We were damned lucky they appeared when they did.

The Achilles and its escorts were only an hour or so from their voyage away from the system. With the amount of technology shared between the Alliance and the Achilles there was little reason for the ship to stay when they would be safer and more secure in the very heart of Earth Alliance space. Still, as the officer at Durani base had mentioned, the crews of the ships that had survived the three major battles alongside the Achilles were disheartened to find that their erstwhile allies and friends would be leaving the system quite soon. The crews of the ships, indeed the station and shipyard personnel as well, all knew they owed the crew of the Achilles after the attacks by the Minbari had been destroyed by the help of the Prometheus vessel.

It was quite amazing just how many drinks can be bought for one crew of one ship by the many people they had saved over the course of their time there. It was just as well there was a limit on alcoholic consumption while aboard EarthForce holdings, or the Achilles crew would have been dead of alcohol poisoning before the next morning.

"Contact the ships of the task force and let them know that their orders are in effect they are allowed to leave at any time."

"Aye, Sir."

"Addendum to Achilles, we still owe you one Achilles. Just call and we'll be there."

"Aye, Sir." The officer smiled.

**Senators Offices**

**Earthdome**

**That day**

The offices of the members of the Senate were all but silent with the Senate out and many of the Senators away from the Dome itself. Only a very few were still around the Dome going through the duties as befitted their rank and responsibilities. The Offices of Senator Clark were more alive than most with the Senator meeting with his agents once again.

"So the pilot met with Santiago earlier on?"

"Yes Sir. Santiago and Silverston met in his offices and proceeded to go for a walk. Our agents watched the two but were unable to make out what they were talking about. Some of it seemed to be about the fact that they had both been pilots in their respective militaries during wartime."

"And that's it?" Clark Snarled.** "**Get out, I despise incompetence."

The soldier left the room a look of disgust on his face at the actions of his 'benefactor'. Many in the military hated the Senator. Unfortunately, the Senator was also shrewd and capable of doing much to people that he wanted out of the way.

Inside the office Senator Clark sat fuming at the so-called incompetence of his paid agents. The pilot that he alone was supposed to know about, let alone have access to, was now meeting with other Senators. They should mind their own business, especially that waste of space Santiago and his 'military' way of seeing things

That damned Santiago was all but rendering Clark's efforts to control things in the military and civilian arenas moot. The technology that was needed from these Humans, Humans that should be under their command as the Earth Alliance, should have been HIS ticket to control of Earth Alliance.

From behind him his associate moved up and sat in the chair opposite. Bester was his link into the Psi Corps, and one of the best and most ruthless of the telepaths. He was perfect for Clark's use much as Clark knew he was used by the Psi-Cop.

"Anything?"

"No the telepath used against the Pilot was one of my own highly trained and quite brilliant. However it seems that the 'White Noise' at it has been termed was still quite evident inside this man's brain. It caused immense pain and profuse bleeding from his nose and eyes to the extent he has had to be restrained and sedated in order to relax him and allow us to help him."

"Dammit, this man is more trouble than he's worth."

"It is extraordinary that such an ordinary man could be such a closed book to my most talented people. Perhaps we need to examine him find out who he really is and why he's so resistant to our probes."

"NO, I will not allow your confusion to risk the potential benefits that we will receive from this Alliance. They may not wish to succeed to the rightful authority of Earth, but we'll get what we need out of them one way or another eventually. DO NOT MESS THIS UP BESTER, the first sign that any of their crew are compromised by our people, I will shut you down and make damn sure they know who did it."

"Don't threaten me Senator. You have as much to lose as I do perhaps more."

"I seriously doubt that Mr Bester. Now please leave I have work to do.

"As you wish, Senator."

The Psi cop removed himself from the office of the Senator and quickly walked down the corridors of the dome. He was intercepted quickly by two of his telepaths he had been in contact with throughout the 'meeting with Senator Clark."

"Clark is making a mistake."

"Yes."

"The two of you are to make your way to Io station, watch this pilot I don't want him left alone for a moment. The second he becomes superfluous to the Alliance take him, preferably alive but do what you have to. Make it look like an accident. I want to know why he seems to be immune to our scans. I will not let some mind blind military loser to stop us getting what we need."

"Yes, Mister Bester."

"Stop off at Sylvium Planetia and use the EarthForce technician identities as well, no point tipping our hand too quickly."

"Yes, Mr Bester."

**USAF Achilles**

**Omega Dock Six**

Elsewhere in the Durani system, the Achilles sat awaiting the last of the extra stores to be secreted aboard the warship. With the only real station that could assist with the repair and refit of the Achilles, Durani station had worked overtime to increase the Prometheus class ship's stocks of perishables, life support systems and most importantly the weapons stockpile of nuclear weapons and projectiles for their railgun systems.

Close to the Omega docks the four ships that were to escort the Achilles to Earth itself were awaiting their charge. The pressurised dock was the largest and most comprehensive dock the Alliance was able to construct and as such it also took time for the dock to power down and allow the ship inside to leave its confines.

Now the dock itself had powered down but the pressurised atmosphere was still being discharged back into the holding tanks scattered throughout the station as quickly as it could without the risk of explosive decompression, which could damage both the dock and the ship.

"Achilles of Omega command, we're ready to leave. Thanks for your hospitality."

"Omega Command, your welcome Achilles. And from those of us still around thank you all for your help."

"We did what we had to Omega. Watch out for yourselves and get that Nova back up she's an impressive piece of hardware."

"Will do Achilles, Good luck and God speed. Omega Out."

The Achilles pulled away out of the opened dockyard, its rear brought up by the large corvette still sequestered inside the dock behind them. The two small ships broke from their berths and moved towards the four warships awaiting their presence, Three Hyperions and a Nova in escort formation moved towards them, the Achilles and the Olympus class ship taking their positions inside and to the rear of the procession.

The small task force turned in space towards the jump gate when the Achilles' crew noticed something they were not expecting. Lined up on both sides just outside the range of the jump gate, twenty ships- every one of them survivors of the Achilles' battles of DSR4, Beta Durani and what was now known as 'The Ambush' to the surviving crews- awaited in space.

The twenty ships of the honour guard watched as the Achilles and consort flew between the two lines, running lights flashed from every ship and the massive groups of Starfuries that ran the lines. A salute from one group of warriors to another. The men and women of the Earth Alliance Navy watched and bid farewell to the Achilles, a ship that meant much more than any of them could have believed.

"Nautilus to Achilles."

"Achilles, here."

"Ready for jump to hyperspace?"

"Ready when you are."

The small force entered the Beta Durani jump gate and jumped into the blood red realms of hyperspace. Aboard the Achilles the crew were all at their stations strapped down into their seats or beds for the off duty crew as the small vessel was cast about by the gravitational eddies of hyperspace itself. The ship swung slightly, the thrusters of the Achilles holding it in place while the computers and engineers reprogrammed them to assist the main engines to hold the small warship on course.

The systems finally went into balance as the ship corrected its course enough to stop the ship's shaking. The few bumps and slews the crew still would have felt was easily covered by the ship's gravity and inertial systems allowing the crewmen to unbuckle themselves from their berths.

"Status Report."

"Scanners, Aye."

"Engines, Aye."

"Communications, Aye."

"Defensive systems, Aye"

"Weapons, Aye."

"Fighter Ops, Aye."

"All sections. Aye Colonel," Major Davis told the Colonel.

"Thank you Major. All sections continue to watch all systems, scanners keep an eye out for Minbari. The Alliance ships have the sensors but ours are better with a longer range."

"Aye, Sir."

"Major with me, time for a little inspection tour."

"Aye, Sir."

Leaving the bridge in the hands of the shift's officer of the deck, the two most senior of the ship's offices took to the corridors of their vessel. The ship seemed quieter somehow before the realisation that almost a third of their entire ship's crew strength had been killed in less than a month of active service.

The immense damage they had taken in that time had been repaired to the best of the abilities of both their own crew and the technical crews of the Omega bays at Beta Durani. However much of the internal damage was still evident, entire walls and bulkheads were missing as their metal was used to reinforce the outer hull and breaches that had been caused by the Minbari warships.

"A month out of dock and this is what happens, I never thought I'd say it but I'd prefer to be back fighting pyramid ships and death gliders," Davis mused.

"At this rate Paul we won't have much of the original ship left, half the systems are Alliance tech and most of the armour is refitted from their shipyards."

"True. I suppose we're lucky that we've enough vacuum bulkheads left to keep the inhabited areas of the ship intact. Hell without them we'd be in it right royally."

"Right royally?"

"Ahh hell, my ex husband was English. I guess I picked up some of his expressions."

"Indeed. Joanna what do you think this with the Alliance is really about? We were safe enough at Beta Durani as it was, the Minbari would have had a hell of a fight from the EarthForce warships already in the system. More so now they can see the Minbari ships."

"In my official and totally biased opinion?"

"Yep."

"Politics."

"Ahh, yes. I kind of guessed that myself."

"You would you're too damn embroiled in it. Although why you gave up such a cushy job at the Pentagon and come out here eludes me."

"A few years ago General Hammond when he was in charge of the SGC told me I had a lot to learn about the way things are done 'around here. My time working with Jacob Carter and SG1 as well as a few of the other SGC personnel allowed me to see what he meant. When the XO job for Achilles came up I applied."

"-And accepted by the commission. To tell the truth I wasn't sure what a Pentagon stooge could do here," she said with a grin. "I'm glad you were able to change my mind."

"Training can't really make up for combat experience. We were lucky we got out of the DSR system intact."

"You did good Paul. I've known officers that wouldn't have got the ship out of there."

"Thank you, I think the combination of diplomacy and combat duty will be beneficial in the end for the SGC and the entirety of Space Command."

"Better than O'Neill in any case."

"I'll tell him you said that."

The two had a slight chuckle. It had been a hard few weeks for them both with the constant repairs and refits of their vessel, and the slight humour was a balm for their darker thoughts and wary souls.

"So this entire thing is a set up Paul?"

"Yeah, the Senators that can claim they are responsible for our safety; and therefore the fact we are helping them would be an incredible boost for their political agendas, more so if they can get more out of us. Don't be surprised if we get more requests for technology."

"They'll be after the shields and weapons as well as the Naquada in the cargo bays."

"Hyperdrive as well, given the chance they may be able to reverse engineer it. They are much more advanced in engineering fields than we are."

"We've told them no and they will still make the attempt anyway."

"I think they already have. About a week ago the station had Psi Corps personnel aboard, apparently to read our very thoughts and if possible steal the technology from us so they wouldn't have to spend any more resources on us. They left not long after they arrived; apparently the General did something that got them spooked."

"I know I liked Hague for a reason. So you're expecting more of this as we go through Earth Alliance space?"

"More than likely Colonel. There will be those that will do just about anything to find out who we are and what we have. Any one of our Asgard systems will tip the balance in the Alliance's favour in this war, possibly across the entire known galaxy."

"That's one of the reasons I need to talk to you. I want you to work with the Chief and his crew. If at any time it looks as if the Alliance is going to make a grab at the classified system I want them slagged completely, leave nothing salvageable. Use anything you have to including the Naquada downstairs."

"You think it's that necessary?"

"War does funny things to people Major. Some will make the attempt to grab our ship and it's systems 'for the good of mankind'. They may possibly think that we should bow to the Alliance as it's Humanity's legitimate government."

"Not the first time Colonel, seems the phrase 'Bow to your God' comes to mind."

"You're right. I want the systems set for destruction and a way to wipe the entire contents of the computer and the control crystals in case we need to."

"Aye, Sir," he replied, he looked down at her. "The fact is Jo, we may have to consider that we will be stuck wherever this is indefinitely though. We may have to share some of our tech with the Alliance if we want to survive- enough Minbari ships and the Alliance will not be able to stop our destruction. The entire Human race in this universe is at risk. Even with the Asgard, treaty we may not have a choice."

"Paul, we have some advanced technologies that we won't even share with the rest of our planet. A few countries will have the technology thanks to the Asgard but not enough. The Alliance is at a point in their existence where they have fought two interstellar wars and had skirmishes with many more and from what I can tell many powers here are insular and Xenophobic. If the Earth Alliance gets our more powerful systems, there will be little to stop them. You of all people know what things get like when people believe technology is the be all and end all, Human more than others."

"The Tollan and the Aschen."

"Precisely. If the Alliance get a hold of anything, the possibility of 'Ethnic cleansing' is more than likely with the Minbari as the first in their sights. How likely is it that they would go after our Earth afterwards, to 'protect us' in their eyes."

"I see your point. We'll have the contingencies in place before we arrive at Io Station."

"Good, let me know when it's done. Have the system set at three minutes. You, myself and the chief are the only ones to have the set off codes."

"Aye, Sir."


	22. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

"**Get that straw out of my ear…"**

**USAF Prometheus**

**Unclaimed System**

**Achilles Rift.**

**Arrival of SG1**

The last ships of the combined Search and Rescue squadron had met with the Prometheus earlier that day, a half dozen Ha'tak warships. And their on board, contingents of secondary craft had been gathered close to the rift. The Prometheus and the Primus class warship floated in space close together as the Human built battle cruiser watched over the massive Centauri ship. With a burst of light and energy a Tel'tac shuttle broke from hyperspace and into the allied controlled system. Virtually every weapon from every ship in the system locked onto the cargo ship painting it with active sensors and gathering targeting data on the incoming ship.

"You know one of these days we'll enter a system full of ships and not have everyone ready to shoot us out of the sky," said Jack O'Neill.

"Possibly, but where would be the fun in that?" replied Daniel.

"O'Neill. We have an incoming transmission from the Prometheus, Colonel Ronson is requesting we identify ourselves."

"These space cowboys never learn."

"Space Cowboys O'Neill?"

"Never Mind T., put them on. Prometheus this is Sierra Golf Charlie Alpha One. General O'Neill Commanding."

"SGC Alpha One this is Prometheus, General, I'm surprised to see you." Ronson said. "Is the diplomatic team aboard?"

"Kind of Ronson. SG1 and myself are the diplomatic team."

There was a pause on the radio although Jack could have sworn he heard a 'oh great not again' from Ronson. On the other end, Ronson was mentally reviewing all the problems with diplomacy that O'Neill and his team had gone through in their years with the SGC.

A review that left the entire crew thinking the same thing, "thanks General; now what are you getting us all into?"

"We read you Alpha One, 302s are on escort intercept. The main airlocks are clear for immediate docking when you arrive."

"Got that Prometheus. Where is the senior surviving officer of the Centauri ship?"

"He's aboard the 'Spirit of Freedom' being treated by the Jaffa, and Jack there's something strange about what's going on."

"Such as?"

"I'll tell you during the briefing."

"Got that, Prometheus."

"Welcome to the Rift General, Prometheus out."

"Seems there's a lot of 'Freedom' Names in the Free Jaffa fleets," said Daniel

"There are many names that equate to the freeing of the Jaffa from slavery in the Jaffa fleet. There are also names praising the Tau'ri and in some cases single people involved in their freedom."

"You got one Teal'c?" asked Jack.

"Indeed, I have been told that what you would call an 'elite' warship is known as the Staff of Teal'c."

"An entire Ha'tak named for you, you must be proud, " Sam said.

"In the contrary," he answered. "I am not."

"Why?"

"I am but a single Jaffa in the service of the Tau'ri. I did nothing but follow what I believe in, I have no claim to the hearts of the Jaffa or the pride that demands I be recognised as such a person. The names of those fallen for our cause should be those whose names adorn our ships."

"You really thought about that didn't you?" Daniel asked

"I have."

"I kinda thought it was cool to have a ship named after me, now not so sure."

"O'Neill the Asgard named their ships after you as a show of respect for what the Tau'ri have become and what they still are to become. The two scenarios are not the same; the honour bestowed upon you by a race that was long believed to be legend is just that a True Honour. I honour my brothers by fighting for their freedom in the names of those whom have fallen before us. The Asgard honour you for being one of the greatest of the first race."

"Thanks Teal'c. I'm not sure what to say."

"Then say nothing O'Neill. You are respected and well thought of by Allies and enemies alike. Many Jaffa are saddened that you will no longer lead or follow on the field of battle as you once did."

"Not trying to kill me?"

"There would be much honour in your death by Jaffa hands, however your killer would in turn be torn apart limb from limb by those around his person."

"Ahh, gotcha."

"Better than what it used to be."

"Better than a day's rations anyway," Jack said as he walked away.

"Hey that was a joke you know?" Daniel followed him, "They hate me more than you as well." The two arguing voices disappeared into the back.

"I never thought I'd miss that," Sam spoke up

"Which part SamanthaCarter?"

"The whole lot." She smiled back and went off to meet up with the arguing pair.

"Indeed," the big Jaffa said quietly a slight grin on his face.

SG-1 was back and in full force.

The small cargo ship sped across space to the conglomeration of warship near the rift, which had noticeably calmed down and dropped in size and intensity since the burst that had sent the Centauri battle cruiser tumbling into space.

A flight of four F302 fighters came into view from their system patrol and set up a small defensive perimeter around the shuttle sized vessel. A quick salute out the forward windows to the pilots from the General and they as a group turned and followed a preset path to the Prometheus herself.

As they closed in, the members of SG-1 could see the massive and spectacular ship. The gold and purple of the ship's paint scheme was tarnished and burnt from energy strike and what seemed to be weapons blasts. Whatever the ship was it was as much a functional warship as it was a stately symbol of power and prestige, much closer to the designs of the Goa'uld Pyramids and the Asgard cruisers than the functional and blocky design of the Earth built Prometheus class warship.

From their vantage point the damage was easily recognisable and while it seemed intact to them, the reports from the Prometheus said otherwise.

The cargo ship pulled around the nearest Ha'tak and towards the much smaller Human vessel. The ship's lower hanger bay was fully open and awaiting the arrival of SGC Alpha One into their midst. The interceptors peeled away with a waggle of their wings and set off back onto their system patrol. The cargo ship powered down leaving it's station keeping thrusters to nudge them into the bay.

The small bay lacked the larger Goa'uld ship's abilities to keep a forcefield up around their fighter bays. So with the final dock of the Tel'tac the bay doors closer and the entire bay was pressurised allowing the four members of SG-1 to disembark from their vehicle.

"Colonel Ronson, permission to come aboard."

"Permission granted General, welcome aboard."

"Thank you. You know, I've always wondered what happens if the Commanding officer says 'Permission denied'."

"You would be held at gunpoint put back on your ship and forcibly ejected from the hanger bay."

"Well that answers that then."

"If you will follow me to the briefing room; we'll get started."

"After you, Colonel."

The group consisting of SG1 and the Colonel plus three members of the command crew made their way to the Prometheus' mess hall, the only place large enough to have a full meeting this way with the people they needed there.

"What's the latest on this ship Colonel? Anything more since the data burst?" asked O'Neill as they walked through the ship's corridors."

"Not much General. A good percentage of the survivors are still in intensive care. We have some of the highest ranking survivors aboard one of the Ha'taks, there is one thing that has come to the fore though."

"Such as?"

"Wherever these Centauri are from the Humans there, are at war with as race called the Minbari as mentioned in the data burst. However it seems that recently some 'Ace Cruiser' has been destroying Minbari ships quickly and easily. The Centauri have little to go on but the ship is apparently advanced and very small compared to the ships of their immediate area."

"The Achilles?" Sam asked.

"We don't know Colonell, However it does point to it being our lost warship."

"Any way of getting her back?"

"Until we can ascertain what the rift is exactly and how to get through without the damage taken by the Centauri ship it's unlikely. To tell the truth it's only because that ship is reinforced and covered in metres thick armour that it made it through at all."

"Won't the Asgard shields protect this ship?" Daniel asked

"Until we learn what the energy in the rift is it could be more of a problem when we make any attempt to go through," Sam said.

"Quite right Colonel. The apparent use of our scanning systems combined with that of the Centauri's own technology caused the original rift to expand and encompass the other ship. Evidently they were not as fast as we were getting away from the rift."

Making it to the currently empty Mess Hall, the seven people assigned to the meeting took their places around the closest of the long tables. Two of the ship's experts on 'Extra Terrestrial' races already sat looking through the folders everyone had been given for the briefing.

"General O'Neill, My CMO, Major Rockford and ship's liaison to the Centauri survivors. I believe you know Capt. Simmons."

"General Colonel good to see you again."

"Simmons, good to see you. Coping with you new assignment?"

"Yes, Sir. It's a change from the rest of Norad, but it's good."

"Now that's settled, Capt, your report please," Colonel Ronson said.

"Yes, Sir. In addition to what you have been informed about from the data burst, it seems that the Centauri were at one time one of the most powerful races in their sector of space. The entire area is known as the 'Orion Arm'."

"That's this arm of the galaxy," Sam spoke up.

"That's correct, as far as we can tell from the debrief of the Centauri and their reactions to us we're looking at some form of time travel or more likely some form of alternate reality."

"Oh great! Not again."

"Unfortunately, yes General. 'That again' seems to be coming more and more part of life around here. The Centauri are responsible for Humanity of their universe reaching the stars and apparently becoming something of a Major power. In the one hundred years that the Earth Alliance has been in space they have been involved in brushfires with three smaller powers and two major Interstellar wars."

"Nice to see things don't change." Murmured Daniel

"The latest involves an advanced race known as the Minbari Federation. The Alliance has been at war with them for around six to seven months and is currently in dire straits as the Humans are incapable of combating the Minbari in any way, shape or form. The Minbari are approximately one thousand years more advanced than the Alliance is and their ships show that."

"Threat ratio to our ships?" asked Ronson.

"Negligible at one on one odds. From what we can gather from the Centauri their ships have armour and several forms of energy weapon. However they lack shields and most of the weapons of their immediate area of space are less effective than anything used by the Goa'uld or the Asgard."

"So our defences should be capable."

"If the information is correct, everything from the point defence guns to both the enhanced and non-enhanced nukes and the main Asgard weapons on our ships are more than capable of destroying almost any ship in their known galaxy. Our shields and Trinium armour should also protect the hull for a small amount of time."

"So the Achilles, if she's over there, should be okay."

"That depends, Dr Jackson. If the Achilles took damage on the transfer then she may be in bad shape. If not, she may be in the hands of the Alliance or any other power in the area giving them access to all of our technology, home grown or retro engineered."

"What was the Achilles' armament at the time?" Teal'c asked

Ronson answered this, "The Achilles was fully armed with a maximum load out and reserve of railgun rounds and nuclear ordinance. Her shields and hyperdrive were operational but under testing when the ship was lost."

"We know the Achilles was in the immediate area," Simmons took over "The debris of two Ha'tak class ships were found in the system. Both Anubis class upgrades, obviously sent against the Achilles by Baal. The Achilles destroyed both but from the radiation traces found there was some sort of problem with the Achilles, traces of Trinium alloy and a high level of radiation from an exploded Naquada source was also in the system."

"She had a hull breach."

"That's the guess Sir. Something pierced the skin and caused an upset with some of the large amount of Naquada from Wolfhound station causing an explosion. The lack of debris leads us to believe it was ejected from the Achilles possibly by the use explosive decompression."

"So what about the rift?"

"We believe it was an accident with the Naquada explosion and the hyperspace window that had been opened by the Achilles. But to tell the truth we have no idea how it happened."

"Well the Quantum Mirror was made of Naquada, possibly something happened in the energy transfer that created the rift." Carter hypothesised, "I'd like to look over the scans you have Captain."

"Yes, Sir."

"Ronson, what about that ship out there, is it salvageable?" O'Neill asked.

"It's possible Colonel, however it will not survive another pass through the rift without shields which is against operating procedure as well as the treaty with the Asgard, also it is unlikely that the few survivors of the crew will be able to take her through anyway she's stick here."

"They may not survive it either," said the Major, "Their movement through the rift caused severe damage to many of he survivors. We've already lost a number of the one hundred and fifty survivors with more on their way out. The few that will make it can't take the shift again. In addition to the extreme damage taken by the crew of the other ship during their passage, something in their body chemistry that has caused some problems for the Centauri themselves."

"So you're saying that they can't go back."

"Not yet, it's possible that after a time they will recover and go back through in a shielded ship, but for the moment they would be killed if they go through."

"Do they know?" Asked Sam

"The most senior officers are, it seems that one of the survivors is a member of the ruling 'house' that owns the ship."

"Civilians that own warships?"

"It's not quite like that General. The Centauri republic is a monarchy that has their ruling families building the ships for their Royal navy. Some hold their alliance to the houses that built those ships but are usually detached to the main fleet."

"Sounds confusing," said Jack.

"Got that right," said Rockford. "This ship is owned and operated by House Mollari. If the senior officers are to be believed this 'House' is one of the oldest and most decorated in the entire Republic. A Lt Carn Mollari is the only member of the survivors from that house is by default the head of the remaining crew, although an equivalent to a Commander is also among the survivors so he may also be the one to take command."

"Where is he?"

"Unlike the Lt, he is in bad shape and is currently under medical care aboard the 'Spirit of Freedom'. He is one of those not expected to survive."

"Excuse me, Sir." A young crewman stepped into the room a sheaf of paper in her hands. She looked decidedly nervous at the sheer amount of famed members of NORAD and the SGC in the room. She quickly moved into the room and left the report in the hands of the Colonel. A quick salute either way and she was gone, the members of the SGC looked at each other in amusement.

"You know it's weird to see that."

"Some of the younger crewmembers see you all as heroes. Even military training won't push that all out more so now that you're both top ranks in Homeworld Security"

"So what's that?" asked Daniel

"We have a constantly updated list of the Centauri, names, ranks and current conditions. It seems that we've lost more of our gests in the last day."

"How many?"

"We picked up One hundred fifty two when the ship came through a few days ago. Less than eighty remain with that number likely to dwindle..." Daniel interrupted Major Rockford

"There's nothing that can be done?" He asked horrified at the loss of lives.

"Not with the medical stations here or on the Jaffa ships, however the Jaffa ships are better staffed and their medical areas better than anything we have on Earth. We have no functional Sarcophagi available to us either. The strongest of the Centauri may survive but then they may not, either way the crew loss is at a high percentage, all we can do is return them home."

"Major, I'd like you and Colonel Carter to work together to study that thing. Ronson have your engineer crews ready to look through that ship see if there's anything we can get out of it. Teal'c you try and get help from the Jaffa engineers to assist."

"Aye, Sir."

"At once, O'Neill."

"Meanwhile, Daniel and I have an appointment with a Centauri."

The meeting broke up at that with the small groups scattering to their duties. Ronson grabbed O'Neill and Jackson before they left to inform them that Lt Mollari was still aboard the Prometheus and in one of the Empty Crew Quarters. Leading them to him the two members of SG1 sat down to talk to the young Centauri.

**USAF Achilles**

**Io Transfer Point**

**Sol System**

**Twenty-Two Days Post Transfer**

The massive jumpgate in orbit of the moon of Io activated as a flotilla of Alliance ships came through. Over a dozen cruisers and over a hundred fighters locked in on the five warships scanning for any form of IFF signal. The signal sent by the all five ships confirmed their identification causing the defence force to break off and return to their stations.

Two of the cruisers came close up to the alliance ships scanning the entire group. Most of their scans being deflected by the ECM systems aboard the refit ships and the Achilles herself.

"You know, now I know how General O'Neill feels ever time he meets with the Free Jaffa fleet," Taylor said.

"The Lexington is hailing us, Sir." Communications said

"Put them on."

"Lexington to Achilles, hows things over there?" came the voice of the Lexington's XO.

"This is Achilles. We're intact and alive Lexington, thank you."

"Good to hear it. The R&D bays are awaiting your arrival."

"Another pressure dock?"

"Negative, the dock is a basic drydock on the other side of Io."

"Got that Lexington, thank you for the escort."

"Thank you for willing to help us, otherwise I'm not sure where we'd be."

"Good luck Achilles."

"You too Lexington. Achilles out."

The three capital ships of the escort peeled away from the Achilles and further into the system. The running lights flickered in sequence before leaving sight. The communications officer laughing slightly brought the crew's attention to him.

"Lieutenant?"

"Sorry Sir. That last sequence was in morse code, it said 'Tag your it'."

"Strange bunch, contact the Corvette."

"Aye Sir. They're online."

"Corvette, this is Achilles come in."

"Achilles, Corvette, we've got you guys. Follow us in we're expected at the R&D complex soon."

"We'll follow you in."

"Corvette out."

The Achilles engaged its engines at a low speed, keeping close to its much larger escort. As they passed by close to the transfer point the Achilles picked up scans and power spike as warships and defence sats of all sizes attempted to scan them. With their shields down and weapons offline the Achilles did not post much of a threat, however it was more than likely that the surrounding ships were annoyed that their scans could not pierce the ECM that they were putting out.

The first to notice this was the sensor officer. His scans were going insane as the Alliance ships increased power. "Sir, the station and some of the closest ships are increasing scan power. I think they are trying to break through our ECM."

"Any chance they will?" asked Taylor.

"No Sir. They tried it at every stop so far. They don't have the capability to, however we still have sweeping targeting scans coming in. I think they don't trust us, Sir."

"I wouldn't trust us either Lt. An unknown ship even with our reputation could be a trap, even more so considering they can't scan us."

"Trying to get our secrets, Sir?"

"Indeed, Lt."

"Aye Sir." He tuned back to his console. "Sir, we're receiving a communication from ahead of us. It's from an incoming vessel."

"Put it on."

"Alpha Leader to Achilles. Welcome to the Pleasuredome."

"Silverston, nice to hear from you. How's it going down there?"

On the screens the sensor systems brought the picture of an F302 settling in close to the larger battle cruiser, the 302 was still fully operational and seemed to be manoeuvring easily even this close to the station.

"Good to hear from you too Sir. The food here's pretty good and the accommodations are quite nice although some of the people could do with an attitude change."

"Thank you for that glowing recommendation Dennis. You here to bring us in?"

"That's an affirmative Major, just follow me in. We've got a landing pad big enough for the Achilles ready for you."

"Thank you Lt, please lead on."

"Alpha Lead Out."

The small fighter spun around and headed towards Io Station's R&D section, the two small warships following it in. The sensors and weapons of the station locked onto it at all times until they were ordered to stand down by the commander of the R&D department.

Inside the large dockyard a single warship sat in a cocoon of beams and girders as the ship was taken apart and rebuilt with new systems. The majority of the ship was already fully built however some of the other sections were still in pieces. The scanner systems, weapons and defensive systems as well as the personnel areas were not quite ready. Obviously the technology they had already shared with the Alliance was of top priority and being built into the ships under construction.

"That was quick."

"Major?"

"We traded the technology we needed for repairs a little over two weeks ago. Now the basic refits to scanners and weapons were done in less than a week but they're rebuilding their entire ship with the tech we've given them and it's been only a few weeks."

"Their own technology isn't that much different to our own Paul."

"Possible, very possible."

"Besides they aren't finished yet, it might take them another month to get the systems in place. It's just lucky our sensor systems are so easily rebuilt using their own technology otherwise things could get hairy."

"True, the scanner systems of Durani base are now complete. They have ships being rebuilt with railguns and updated scanners as well. With luck they should be able to hold off the Minbari now."

"Colonel?" The Comms officer spoke up. "We have docking instructions from the base command station. The way in is clear and we can go in anytime."

"Helm, bring us up onto the docking signal and take us in."

"Aye Sir- taking us in."

The Prometheus class vessel slowed right the way down allowing the small warship to navigate it's way to the large docking platform that was awaiting their arrival. The dock itself was over three times the size of any of the three bays that held the Prometheus class vessels underneath the Arizona desert.

The bay was deserted although it held signs that it had been under heavy use by the denizens of Io station for a long time. The bay was just awaiting them and as they sat down a series of specially refit docking arms and airlocks clamped to the Achilles pressurising the links between the station and the hull of battle cruiser. With the ship safely attached the engines and manoeuvring thrusters shut down leaving the Achilles in place.

"We're down Sir, all systems to standby," Davis said. "ECM and internals still online." The nod he gave her meaning that the secure systems were all set for complete destruction per her orders to him earlier in their voyage.

"Good, let's go and meet out landlords shall we?" Taylor said.

"Aye, Sir."


	23. Chapter 21

Chapter 21 

"**Anyone gets in my way gets a napalm enema."**

**Minbar**

**Minbari Federation**

**Same Day**

The chambers of the Grey Council were quiet and dark. The council had not been in session for close to a week. However that was soon to change as the warriors of the Council of Nine had called upon them to meet as soon as possible, they had news that was necessary for them to know.

The doors opened and from three separate entrances the nine men and women of the Grey council took their places. The full nine had been able to meet for the first time since the war's beginning seven months ago when they had sent their ships against the Humans in the great war of retribution.

Three from each castes stood facing the others. From the oldest to the newest, each of the members of the council were awaiting the information that the warriors had come before them with.

"My fellow Satais, it seems that the Warrior fleet headed by the Shala Fi has recently engaged this new Human ship Achilles plus her task force and later a force of ships sent to retrieve her afterwards. The Human ships were close to completely destroyed, a few ships survived including the Achilles."

"So once again we were unable to destroy the Achilles," one of the Workers said.

"Indeed, however something came to our attention. Please observe."

What could only be described as a Minbari version of a 'Gun camera' video was brought up above their heads. Shots of the large Minbari fleet gathered were shown closing on the four ships in the system.

Once they had lured the Achilles into the system's outer reaches the Minbari ships should have been able to disable the human ship with an 'Alpha strike' as the humans quaintly put it. However it seemed that the Achilles had seen through the trap and had reverse course to rendezvous with the Alliance ships, the trap nullified the Minbari fleet jumped and headed for the human ships

The scene changed as their vessels took down the missile fired by the Achilles at their ships.

"As you can see our knowledge of the Achilles' weapons have come in useful in creating countermeasures for the enemy's heavy missiles. However, also as you can see, the fire from their projectile weapons are still very potent against our ships."

The scene changed to the three other Human ships taking down several squadrons of fighters before one of them was strafed and destroyed by yet more of the Minbari fighters. The other managed to pull away.

The scenes changed once again to the Achilles firing its main cannon at several of its ships as well as firing more missiles, all of which damaged or outright destroyed several of their ships. They were surprised when, from another set of shots, one of the Humans 'Nova' class dreadnaughts had fired on one of their upgraded 'Sharlin' cruisers and hit the ship with a massive strike.

The Human's fire caused it and many of the fighters around it to explode from direct weapons hits. Several other ships took damage from the Nova before the overwhelming force of the Minbari force hit them.

The footage ended with the escape of the last of the Human ships and the consequent failure to destroy the Achilles when the relief force arrived.

"As you can see we have a problem," the warrior Satai said.

"The Humans can now target our ships accurately and with impunity," said one of the religious caste.

"Indeed, we believe this is also the first test of this. The attack by the fleet led by the Drala Fi, was repulsed because of their ability to see our ships. It is likely in that engagement that the Achilles was responsible for their ability to see us, using their own scanners to see us and transmitting to the other ships."

A scene came up from the pictures. From the close ups of the Earth ships, the council members were more than capable of making out that the Daedalus and her task force were armed with weapons not seen before on their ships. They were using the same type of railguns that the Achilles had used to massacre entire squadrons of the best fighters in the warrior caste's ranks.

One of the Worker caste council members spoke up at that. "Then they are adapting their technology to allow the Humans to see us, their weapons are capable and powerful. We must stop this from happening. Their scanners and projectile weapons are capable of immense damage against out fighters and smaller ships. If they are allowed to adapt their shields and energy weapons they will be a threat unlike that we have not seen in one thousand years."

"Maybe not. We have lost a great many ships in the last few months to the Humans." Satai Delenn moved forward to speak her part, "This war is going to be much more costly than we believed. Dozens of our finest ships have seen destroyed by a like number of ships. In some cases smaller and less powerful ships have annihilated out best. One of their ships, unfinished and under crewed destroyed one of ours from a range with a power close to our own weapons."

"We were not expecting that they could do that Delenn," Satai Morann spoke up, "Their ability to do so surprise us."

"We do the same against them with our surprise attacks and unexpected assaults on their lines while we then take them apart with impunity. What makes what they do any different, Morann?"

"They allowed us to believe that two ships that we were trying to destroy were incapable of attacking us."

"As opposed to our killing any and all of their ships that send out distress signals, or killing those unable to defend themselves against us?"

"Then what do you suggest Delenn? You are the one whom declared we destroy these Humans."

"I may have made a mistake with this Morann. They will soon be capable of fighting us all on an equal baring, something that could do us much more damage that we thought possible six months ago."

"We need to stop these new Humans from assisting the Earthers as soon as possible. If they are allowed to help them too much everything we have lost will be for nothing." Satai Sharonn dropped his hood the scar from his battle aboard the Drala Fi evident on his hairless head.

"Are you afraid of what would happen if the warrior caste were to fight a race capable of fighting us on such a basis?"

"The Warrior Caste fears nothing."

"This war is going too far, the loss of so many ships to only a few Human ships is enough. Allow the war to end and for both us and the Earthers to rebuild. The losses to the Achilles is too much for us to take and more of such losses and we will not be able to continue the war as we have been doing so."

"Delenn may be the chosen of Dukhat himself, however you are young and inexperienced in the ways of war. If we allow the Humans to rebuild they will come back after us and this time we may not be able to hold them back if their technology is increased so."

"Then maybe we should be the ones to fall!"

"Delenn, how can you say that?"

"Sharonn, the warriors are willing to fight and die to destroy the Humans and their alliance, but you do not wish for them to fight you on an even plane."

"A barbarian race with technology so close to our own is against everything we believe and if it takes every ship and warrior we have, we will destroy them."

"If it takes every ship and warrior Sharonn, who shall defend the Minbari Federation and it's protectorates and who shall fight when the great war starts anew? No Sharonn we will not force this issue yet but beware for if we go too far we shall lose what we have gained in so long and we will fall before any race that wishes to fight us."

Delenn moved back and the light above her head dimmed to blackness as she left the room, her voice leaving a single thought floating in the air around them.

"For if we have nothing except our honour, what are we as a race."

Outside the chambers of the Grey Council Delenn dropped her hood and stared out into the sky. As if in sync with her mood the clouds had rolled in and now small droplets of rain pattered around her and onto her face. She closed her eyes and allowed the cool rain to clear her mind and cool her down from the heated arguments of the council chamber. She was contemplating much as a slight cough came from her side.

She turned her head back down and to the young member of the religious caste that had approached her; the young girl could not have been more than her late teens and was awaiting leave to speak to her Satai.

"Speak child."

"Satai Delenn there is a communication for you from Entil'zah Lenonn awaiting you in your chambers."

"Thank you."

"In Valen's Name."

"In Valen's name," Delenn replied and let the young woman go.

She had been awaiting a communication from the Ranger commander for some time, the mission they had been sent on had been fruitless for quite some time, any message from Lenonn was more than likely to be important to their attempts to halt this war before it got any worse than it already had.

In her chambers the screen was blank until she activated it and typed in her code. The message was in an encryption known only to a very few people. Activating the system the screen came up with the face of Lenonn.

"Greeting Delenn."

"Hello Lenonn, how are you?"

"Old, old and tired. But apart from that we seem to have found something interesting from the Centauri. One of their battle cruisers has disappeared from its patrol route; they were scouting a disturbance somewhere near their borders with the Earth Alliance."

"What has this to do with your mission?"

"The disturbance is within two systems from where the remains of the Shal'avi was discovered. It is possible there is something that explains the appearance of this new ship in the ranks of the Humans."

"Do you require assistance?"

"Not for the moment Delenn, we will approach the system and try to discover what it is that may have interested the Centauri so. It is possible that more will come from this and so if you have not heard from us within four days send assistance as soon as possible."

"Of course old friend. Good luck, Lenonn."

"We live for the one, we die for the one."

The channel closed on the conversation between the two high ranking Minbari. Delenn sat down on the closest seat and closed her eyes. She could only pray to Valen that something good could come out of all this.

**USAF Prometheus**

**Infirmary**

"Colonel, good evening."

"Lt Mollari, nice to see you up and around."

"Thank you Sir. If I may, how is my crew?" The Lt's face grew ashen as the Colonel gave what information he could to the junior officer. The fact that the young man was now the defacto commander of his crew and ship was a little intimidating. Also the knowledge that the survivors he had known off were dropping like flies was niggling at him.

"How many will live?"

"I'm sorry Lt we don't see more than sixty survivors all told. The injuries to most are too extensive but they are as comfortable as we can make them."

"Sixty from fifteen hundred. What about the ship?"

"I'm sorry Lt. Your ship is much too badly damaged to be spaceworthy. Any attempt to move it back through the rift is dangerous to you, your crew and the ship as a whole. The ship will be removed from the area back to a friendly port. If you wish your crew can go with it. But we would like you to accompany us to Earth if possible." Ronson said.

"Why me?"

"Maybe I can answer that Lt, My name Dr Daniel Jackson I'm here to help you and your crew acclimatise to your new surroundings. Your information may be of use to us in developing a rapport with you race and other races that you know of."

Carn Mollari looked a little suspiciously at this small Human with the wire and plastic in front of his eyes. The man seemed to be telling the truth as far as he could tell but from a race who pride themselves on their dealings with others using misdirection this did not mean a thing.

"Perhaps," he responded cautiously. "I will tell you what I can."

"Good." Came a third voice, Carn looked around at an imposing Six foot tall man, silver and grey hair upon his head and again a man with the look of a true warrior upon him. This man was no fool and he looked as if he would not treat Carn as one. I'm General Jack O'Neill…"

Time passed as the introductions were completed and the four men started a full discussion on the state of affairs in Carn's home space. The news was more than they had been told before but was much more help than what they had been told before.

"So where you're from the Humans are at war with a much more powerful race?" Daniel asked.

"Yes, the Minbari are one of the oldest and most advanced races in the known galaxy. Nobody has fought them and survived to tell the tale. Not even the Republic at its height were willing to test the Minbari," Carn Mollari responded. His wounds were bandaged and bruises were evident across his face but he looked much better than he had when pulled out of the wreckage three days beforehand.

"If they are so advanced and powerful why are they trying to destroy a race that has no chance against them?"

"All we know General is that the Humans killed their leader 'Dukhat of the Religious caste' and for that a holy war was caste upon them."

"Great another bunch of religious zealots with an axe to grind, some things are universal," said Jack. "If it's not one lot it's another."

Daniel spoke up at this point. "According to something you told the Colonel, there is some new supership helping the Humans of your universe."

"Yes, Indeed. We know little but the Minbari are calling for its destruction because it has done a lot of damage. Long-range scans from our ships haven't been able to pick up anything from the ship at all. It seems to have a variation on one of the League's defences as well as the Human's weapons and technology."

"What kind of defences?"

"One of the races, the Abbai use gravity waves much as my race do to create a shield against weapons fire, this Human ship seems to have this ability as well. The Abbai claim it has been stolen from them and want it back."

O'Neill looked at Ronson who just nodded. It seemed that this Centauri may have been just informed them of the whereabouts of their lost ship.

"Anything else?"

"There was something odd, the ship was powerful enough to destroy Minbari battleships, however from what little we can get from our scans it is smaller than a Human corvette. This is something that is impossible for the Humans of our universe to build. Is it one of yours?"

"We don't know Lt, but it's possible. If it is we may need to return you to your people and then look for her."

"General, the Centaurum, our version of the Human's 'Senate' refuse to get involved in this war on either side. Your arrival may do more harm than good. There are a few of us that wish we could get involved in this but we can't risk pulling our entire people into the war."

"Maybe you should. If you and others get involved may be they might think twice about what's going on." Daniel looked at the Lt

"I'm not particularly politically minded Dr Jackson. What do you mean?"

"If, say you and other powers got involved it would make the Minbari think twice. Or they would wind up destroying most of the races in the immediate area. That is something that would make them enemies of anyone who would meet them later on."

"Few of the local powers would be willing to fight alongside each other. Most of us don't like the others especially the Narn and the League of Non Aligned Worlds. Even the few that may do so won't do for fear of the Minbari coming after them."

"So this fear rules them enough that they won't help a race that needs it."

"It's true, the Alliance was willing to fight against a race called the Dilgar Imperium. The Dilgar caused genocide and massive suffering on every race they saw as lesser beings, which was everyone they knew of bar the Minbari and possibly the Centauri Republic."

"About twenty years ago the alliance got involved and they lost a lot of ships and troops in a war they had no reason to get involved in. But they did and now every one that owes them and promised them assistance have withdrawn and refused to get involved."

"Lt, in our history we had a war, many that came after that war swore an oath, that oath was best described in just two words 'never again'. If the Humans in this Earth Alliance are anything like us they couldn't have not got involved, We've seen too much of this type of thing in our own histories, both ancient and contemporary," Daniel spoke up,

"The Human race is not the type to give up to overwhelming problems otherwise our entire race would have been destroyed a long time ago, or been enslaved for all time. That's not something Humans are willing to allow."

The Centauri crewman looked at the faces of the three men around him. Each had the look of a warrior, something that was lacking in the forces of the Centauri military even those whom had fought against the Narn and the League of Non Aligned Worlds. "My people won't get involved General, I can tell you that without any doubt, not unless there was something in it for them. My people are a mercenary species through and through. Money and material things are all they wish to acquire, the Humans have little to give and much to gain and the my people take much and still give little."

"Sounds as if you disagree."

"My uncle, Londo Mollari is the Ambassador to the Earth Alliance, he is quite fond of Humans as a whole but even our family's notoriety is not enough to help the Humans. However I do believe he wishes he could help the Humans. I think if we could contact him that we would have somewhat of a chance in getting his assistance."

"That may be a problem, as you know we cannot allow you or your people or your ship to go through the rift again, it will fatally injure you and your people and destroy your ship. As you are not tied to us through treaty or military service we cannot stop you from this but please believe us when we say it would not be conductive to the health of any of your surviving people to go through that again."

"I know Colonel, I would like to talk to the rest of my crew that are still capable of meeting with me and asking what they want. I'm not a command officer and I won't try to order them to stay or go."

"I do understand Lt, the survivors will be gathered aboard the 'Freedom's Choice' in a few hours. Until then, you should rest for a while," Ronson said.

"Thank you Colonel." The young Lt was left alone by the three men surrounding him leaving the sick bay. Ronson excused himself to have communications contact the Jaffa ships and have the Centauri survivors transferred to the same ship. Jackson and O'Neill stood outside the Sickbay looking in at the other badly injured Centauri still aboard.

"Another world where we're at war." Jack said.

"Something doesn't add up though," Daniel responded, "He says that Earth has been in space for over a hundred years, but there is nothing about the Goa'uld or any of the other races we know of. All the alternate universes we know of have been based on the fact that the Goa'uld are a universal constant, some destroyed and some like us holding them off."

"So?"

"So the other universe's Human race seems to be almost backward compared to us, no gravity on board their ships, no shields, a slow hyperdrive and a relatively slow increase in their abilities in that hundred years."

"What year is it there 2246 or something?"

"The fact that they are less advanced than us in some ways but more than in others may point to some kind of interference from outside."

"So something like the parasitic little bastards here may exist out there."

"I don't know Jack, but I wouldn't bet against it."

"Daniel, I want you to talk to some of the others find out anything you can about any ancient race that may exist in their pasts both good or bad, just talk to them ask them about anything you can think of."

"I'll try, what are you gonna do?"

"I'm going to have a look at that ship closely, if we can we'll drag it to another system. If not we'll let the centauri decide what to do with it."

"If you sure?"

"Yep. Also I want you and Ronson with me when Mollari goes to the 'Choice', maybe a few Human faces would help them relax."

"Yeah Right," Daniel mumbled.

**Washington DC**

**SGC-Earth**

**December 13th 2005**

At the same time as the meeting between the Centauri and the SGC commander, another was going on many light years away in the dark corridors of power in the Capital City of the United States.

"Our people at Stargate Command have informed us about a change in the way of things. It seems that the Prometheus has uncovered a new race from another universe."

"How, if we have the Quantum Mirror in our possession?"

"We have no one aboard the Prometheus itself, the few we had were aboard the Achilles during her shakedown cruise. All we do know is that a ship was discovered out there, one much larger than anything we can build or salvage. It is close to the size of one of the Asgard's cruisers."

One of the men leaned closer to the screen showing a scan of the Primus class cruiser sent to the SGC by the Prometheus. The lines could be plainly seen and the size and mass projections impressed them all. The ship was much larger than the ships currently produced by the allied nations of Earth. Something like this Centauri ship could help them immeasurably.

"A ship that large could be of immense value to us and our attempts to remove the SGC from the equation."

"We do not have the people or equipment in place to take that ship and there is also the problem that there may be survivors from this new ship aboard the Prometheus or the Jaffa ships that would dispute our claim."

"If they do so have them killed, use some of our expendable people in the SGC to do so. That ship may be the most useful piece of alien technology we have come across yet. Just make sure O'Neill and his people do not keep hold of that ship. The NID have much more use for it than they would have."

"Aye, Sir."

"Contact Kinsey, we have something for him to do."

"Yes, Sir."

"Also, have several of the cargo ships assigned to the Air force diverted for classified work. Just in case we are unable to get at that ship any other way I want them filled with our own troops and readied for combat actions."

"Are you sure that is wise, Sir?"

"Yes I do. Without more ships we have little chance of holding off the Goa'uld and this ship would be much easier to rebuild than any of these Ha'tak vessels we can get hold of. The Asgard weapons picked up from the wreckage in the Pacific will be brought out of storage, we may finally have somewhere to put them."

"This is a dangerous game you are playing, Senator."

"The game has always been dangerous; however now the stakes are equal."


	24. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

"**I laugh in the face of danger and then hide until it goes away."**

**USAF Achilles**

**24 hours Post Arrival at Io Station.**

For the first day since the arrival of the Achilles the crew of the warship had shut down the systems and started the first part of the ship's repairs. The internal systems that needed repairing had been done before they had left the yards at Beta Durani.

The Io station was as first, leery about the arrival of the Achilles. Now, the actual information about the new ship was wide spread across the entire fleet. The destruction of dozens of Minbari ships by the Achilles and it's assistance to the fleets at DSR post four and at Beta Durani was now legendary across the entire Alliance military.

For the first time it had come to light that with a level playing field the ships of EarthForce were capable of defeating Minbari ships. The images of the Cunningham destroying a Minbari warship with accurate fire from maximum range allowed the Humans watching a spot of pride at the fact they were now capable of fighting back against the Minbari.

However, the Achilles was still an unknown entity even with the reports from Durani station and the fleet grapevine praising the crew and the ship. The crews and pilots of the defence fleet in the Alliance's most fortified position were wary of 'Greeks baring gifts' as one pilot said across an open channel.

Taking the jest to heart, the orders sent to all ships from Earthdome were to watch the Achilles at all times. For the moment they were allies and were safe from harm but at any time the Achilles seemed to be a threat they were to open fire immediately.

Even so the Achilles was docked and immediately the crew set to work on the external problems the warship had. The shield emitting systems had been strained continuously for the last few weeks and even with the overhauls and repairs that had been the norm for the ship the shielding systems were still to be completely repaired. And now without the possibility of the Minbari attacking them, the crew could get to work.

Inside the ship was another story. Partway through the voyage to Earth from Beta Durani the ship's inertial systems and artificial gravity had failed causing injuries amongst the crew. The damage was repaired en route but the repairs would need dock time to fully repair.

Other systems were working in order but were to be stripped down and repaired using their own spares and some alliance tech rewired to their needs. Then, of course, the biggest problem the ship had were the secondary reactor systems. The Colonel and Major had decided to wait until the Achilles had docked at Io station before the reactor assembly was to be taken apart by the engineers. The Reactor had fluttered suddenly several hours into the voyage and had been shut down completely by the crew.

The lost reactor was of little consequence when they were travelling this deep into alliance space with an escort. It was now cold and the radiation had been flushed, allowing the crew to look over the system as a whole.

The massive reactor assembly stretch the width of the ship and would take a large team quite a while to search and repair. It had been a day before they could risk opening up any of the reactor and even then they would have to use contamination suits to keep out the radiation that may have been left behind.

"You know, I'm glad this isn't the Naquadriah reactor this ship class was designed to use."

"Why's that Chief?" asked one of the engineering crew.

"Did you ever hear about what happened to that Dr Jackson at Stargate command?"

"Uhh, no."

"Well I was down there working on the power systems when Jackson comes back from the planet the Naquadriah came from, he was dosed with some serious rads from a runaway nuclear test they were running on that stuff."

"Damn, how did he survive?"

"Not a clue, maybe they used one of those Sarcophagus things the snakeheads use. But it's an unstable fuel and nasty when under use. The radiation that we would have had to flush and protect against would have been pretty nasty equivalent to a spill apparently."

"Shit."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. This Normal Naq isn't too bad but is still pretty dangerous in the wrong hands."

"Tell me about it. I heard there was a test with a Naquada bomb on a planet and that entire planet caught fire and BOOM, no more planet."

"Now imagine if that kind of explosion happened aboard this thing. If we can't figure out what's wrong with this thing we might be looking at the universe's biggest Naquada bomb."

"You know how to make us feel better don't you, Chief."

"Aye, laddee."

"We never should have gotten you that tribble for you birthday."

"Better than that thing you guys got for the Colonel. A giant bumper sticker is not the greatest of ideas."

"Hang on, this things stuck- and it wasn't that bad. It was just a joke."

"Hmm ok got it pull, a joke it said BEWARE WOMAN DRIVER on severl dozen feet high letters."

"Ok it's out, what did you expect a bumper sticker for a ship this size needs to be big or no one would see it."

"Your lucky she saw the funny side, Ronson would have strung you up by the bits."

"Scanners are showing nothing, Chief."

The last of the main covering of the Reactor was finally off. The heavy Trinium/lead/titanium alloy shielding was still in place around the Naquada core itself but the internals of the system were now open to all. The core was smaller than a shipboard nuclear reactor most of them had trained on but it was much more powerful than anything purely Human built.

"Radiation levels are minimal. You'd get more radiation from a suntan."

"Good. Leave your suits on anyway, I don't want any unfortunate leaks to kill anyone."

"Aye Chief." Was heard from multiple voices.

The team started a painstaking study of the core's systems. The combination of Human technology and Goa'uld control crystal technology was more than evident in the systems surrounding the massive core. The cold core was dark and the power was completely off, allowing the crew members to access the internal systems as well as take apart the systems that looked like they needed repairs.

At first glance the core looked intact and ready for use. However that was not enough and soon every circuit board, control crystal and data cable was removed from the core. The power cables and system sensors were also removed from their positions, the twelve-man crew steadily worked taking it apart piece by piece.

"Anyone got anything?" he asked

"Nothing here Chief, although I think someone was having fun back here before the core was finished."

"Why?"

"You don't want to know Chief, you don't want to know."

"Tell me anyway."

"Well, one foil packet and its contents were stuffed down the back of a conduit and is now melted onto it."

A chorus or disgusted sounds came from the assembled crewmen (and women) surrounding the reactor, while some others sniggered or burst out laughing. Even the Chief was effected by the news.

"Can you get it off?"

"I'm not touching it without some really long tongs and a blow torch."

"Alright, we'll get it off before we close up."

There was a clang from above the rest and a female voice swore in multiple languages including what seemed to be Goa'uld and even Asgard. The guilty party pulled herself up from the prone position she was in and looked down at the Chief Engineer.

"Chief there's something here, behind the main control circuits."

"What is it?"

"I don't know seems like some kind of sensor device." The young woman reached under again and groaned as she grasped the device and it finally came free from the rear of the reactor. "It was stuck fast and right behind the reactor, I was lucky to see it. Ahh shit, it's not one of ours, Chief."

"How the hell did it get in there?"

"No idea Sir, but it must have been there since the reactor was installed or at least since the overhaul at Durani base."

"Someone's spying on us from inside. Shit." Crossing over to the Intercom the Chief called up the bridge explaining what had happened and that the Colonel and Major should get down there ASAFP.

Minutes later the two command officers were in engineering. The Colonel was not happy with the way she had been summoned to the reactor room while in the process of more negotiations with the commander of Io base. However the look on the face of her Chief engineer was more than enough to silence and complaints she may have been about to speak.

"What is it?"

"Some kind of scanning device, not very powerful or particularly useful as these things go. But it was right in our reactor and was in range of any system in engineering or the lower decks."

"Spying on us?" Davis asked.

"That's my guess. We won't give them shields, our hyperdrive or cannon so they were going to take it anyway."

"The reactor's weren't off limits to any visiting engineers were they?" Taylor asked

"No Sir. They were Human designed and built, it wasn't out of bounds so anything here wasn't classified in the slightest as Naquada doesn't seem to exist here it can't hurt us or them."

"It fits after what Silverston said earlier," Davis said to Taylor.

"First telepaths and now technological espionage, Chief no alliance engineer is to come near engineering either. Keep them out of anywhere that is in any way essential to the running of this ship. I don't want more problems," Taylor told the engineer.

"Aye, Sir."

"We'll let this play out a little longer. I want the pair of you to keep an eye out and recheck the security measures every few hours."

"You think they will try something so quickly?"

"We've been on the receiving end of mistrust by certain people since we arrived in Alliance space. Yes I think they will try something, and I think they might try soon."

"Aye, Sir."

"Aye, Sir."

"Did you find anything else Chief?"

"No, Sir. We're still looking through the reactor, but I think that thing might have had something to do with the problems we had with the reactor full stop. If my boys can test, it we'll find out."

"Do it Chief, and make sure it's shielded. I don't ant anyone knowing we found it."

"I'll try, Sir."

"Keep checking the reactor as well just in case." The Colonel and Major left the engineering deck to resume their conversations with the Alliance staff, much more cautious than they had been only minutes before.

**Io station**

**R&D Labs**

**Conference Room 4**

"My apologies Ladies and Gentlemen we had some problems with the ship's main power systems but it is under control," Major Davis spoke up.

"Is there any danger?" asked one of the staff members.

"Not at all. The affected system is shut down and no longer attached to any of the other ships' system."

"That's ok then." One man, a balding senator said. "Now as we were saying, your advances to what we term as very basic systems are fascinating. Your computer and communications systems are inferior to our own but you seem to be able to do much more with what you have."

"Yes, our technology is a combination of our own and some salvaged and donated technological advances from other races from our area of space."

"Alien technologies?" the same man said with a barely concealed sneer.

"Yes. We are at war with a race that wants nothing more than total subjugation of our entire species or failing that annihilation of our world and its people. In order to fight back, we have used their own technology and made our own analogues of those systems. Howeve,r some we have had to use salvage technology in places we have not been able to copy those systems."

"What about your other systems?"

"Some of our systems were donated by a friendly race called the Asgard. The Asgard have been a valuable ally to our planet for several years and indeed are responsible for our inclusion into the protected planets treaty."

"So these Asgard also play God?"

"Not as such. While the Goa'uld believe they are gods and force others to worship them as such, the Asgard have helped races to develop at their own speed and taught races how to cope on their own until such time as those races realise what the Asgard are and are able to talk with them on a singular or planetary basis."

"So your most advanced weapons and defences come from this race?"

"Yes, each of the Prometheus class ships in the fleet are armed accordingly by way of our treaty with them; the same treaty I'm afraid that will not allow us to share those technologies with you unless we get their permission."

"I understand that. Please understand however that time is growing short for us and the basic niceties of two powers meeting must be dispensed with for the moment."

"I understand Senator, please go on," Davis said.

"I understand some of your other technical advances are not covered by your 'treaty' with any other alien race?"

"No Sir, they are not. However, some of our technology will not be of use to you due to differences in our technologies."

The female member of the command staff spoke up, "We do owe you much for just assisting us so far with your advances. The refits of many of our front line ships with your scanners has gone ahead recently and thanks to you we may be able to fight on a level field for at least a time."

"We were happy to help General, we could not sit by and watch an advanced race just destroy the Human race because of an accident. We fight against such problem back home. Advanced races that believe everything they do is right and most are scared of those races, it seems Humans are the same everywhere," Taylor said.

"What would you be willing to trade with us, Colonel?" The third man said.

"Sir, what you must understand is that we as a whole cannot allow our ship to be taken apart for you to reverse engineer our technology, most of our technology is incorporated into the ship's systems. And while we have the technical specifications and know how it may be a problem managing to give you some of our systems."

"What can you give us?"

"In exchange for the systems we gave you we have been guaranteed continued support from your infrastructure and the possibility of some upgrades of our own. For the technology we are offering you we wish for the sale of several of your warships for use by our own fleet once the Minbari war has ended."

"You want our warships? That's preposterous," the senator said.

"What kind of ships?" the General said overruling the senator.

"Cruisers and Dreadnaughts with several tenders to keep them operational for several years."

"In exchange for what?"

"Artificial gravity, inertial dampening systems, and control crystal technology," Davis said. "That is all we can give you for the moment without access to our home world's database systems and permission from our fleet command to allow other systems to be included."

"That is not much for an entire task force plus auxiliaries."

"As I said that is for the moment, others may be brought to the table later on. However the systems you have plus these others will give you an edge against the Minbari in a combat situation allowing you to fight them fair and possibly beat them. Do not malign these technologies they will change the combat capacity of your ships beyond that of many you know of."

"For the moment we are unable to give you the ships that you want. If we lose this war the fact is that we may not be able to give you any of the ships you want for this technology. Things would be easier if we could see the whole of your ship."

"Senator, if the Human race is to be wiped out by the Minbari then we will be on the line between the Humans of this universe and the Minbari. And with all due respect, we will help but we will not risk our own world to satisfy your want for our advanced technology. We can give you what we can but we also need to find our way home and for that we will need help."

The senator was angry at these 'newcomers'. The alliance had the backs to the wall and were being hit hard by the losses the Minbari had made in their fleet ranks. Now the fleet had the technology to fight back but the full fleet refit would take time and while the SWACS abilities of their few ships are fully capable of allowing entire task forces to see the Minbari ships they were just not enough.

The first task forces of complete refits were still two weeks from combat readiness and once again they would be scattered down the entire line to assist non-refit units instead of defending the more important inner systems of the Alliance like they should be. The Senator was not happy with that fact and wanted more from these people and would get it one way or another.

"The ships we have online with your scanner upgrades are of immense help as is the railgun system that you gave us as a goodwill gesture. The lines have stabilised close to the midrange bases but we don't know why?" The female General said.

"We understand that the Minbari have lost a lot of ships across the entire line in the last few months in addition to those that we ourselves helped to destroy recently. They may be trying to reinforce and redeploy against other bases not as well defended at Beta Durani is."

"It's a sure bet that they know your ships are being equipped with the newest scanners and might be willing to take this fight to an extreme if they are threatened. They apparently have more ships than you and may just be able to overrun you," Taylor said.

The General brought out a data crystal, handing it to an aide it brought up a series of numbers and ships both Minbari (est.) and Human (est.)

"In the next month almost one hundred new ships will come online, most with the new scanners online and railguns attached. However the ships are still outmatched by the Minbari vessels by a serious margin. The numbers are higher in their favour and their pinpoint jump computers are still a danger, Sir we are asking you for more help to keep the Minbari at bay until we can defend ourselves better."

Taylor nodded at her XO who himself pulled a writable optical disk from his jumpsuit pocket and slid it across the table.

"One of our systems is an ECM system capable of jamming every ship we know of, it works against the sensors of the Goa'uld ships even those upgraded by the system lord Anubis. It is one hundred percent effective against everything in this system so far including Minbari sensors. It is not sensor stealth, in fact the opposite, but it jams the sensor images and distorts them."

"Meaning if they can't see it they can't hit it." The General said awestruck, "How… I mean you are willing to trade this with us?"

Taylor just smiled, "Call it a down payment on the ships we need from you, in the last few weeks my engineers have managed to rewrite the specs to suit your ships. Those to be equipped with it can have it done the same time as the scanner updates it's easily done adapter to your own countermeasures suite and can be activated and used using your basic comm. and scanner systems."

"Get this to command and quickly."

The General passed the disk to her aide who bolted from the room with a quickly murmured 'Aye, Sir."

"Thank you Colonel, many EarthForce officers will owe you their lives."

"We're all soldiers General, it's what we do."

**Senator's Offices**

**Earthdome**

**Three hours later**

The offices of Senator William Clark were once gain dimly lit with only a few spotlights illuminating the desk and other parts of the office that Clark wanted lit. At this moment several of the lights back lit him as he looked at the monitor screen above his head. Just enough light escaped around him to darken him as a whole in an attempt to scare the other senator working for him.

"So they still refuse to allow us their most advanced systems," he asked the other man rhetorically.

"I'm sorry Sir, but the Achilles' commanders refuse to allow us to even look at some of their systems. In fact some of the systems we were able to see at Durani station have been closed off to all technicians at Io station."

"Have they discovered our little device?"

"I do not believe so Sir. They have made no mention of it or even made any sign that they mistrust us more than they had done already."

"Then they are attempting to keep their technological advantage to themselves while making us pay through the nose for titbits and scraps of their inferior systems. If that is the case then we need to do something about this and soon."

"In addition Sir, we have something that was unexpected. They have given us the ability to block the sensors of the Minbari for a time."

"What?" the Senator jolted at that.

"Their Electronic Countermeasures are capable of being adapted into our own ships ECM systems, meaning they can be refit into our warships during the same time the scanner systems are."

"Once again putting us in their debt, making sure that without them we cannot go any further."

"The other members of the station's command crew will agree to their requests with this technology transfer. Sir, what do you wish for us to do? General Stevens is about ready to cave into their demands."

"Stevens is an idiot and in the pocket of Santiago. We need to move them out of the picture and get ourselves to the forefront of things. Ingratiate yourself with the command crew and get some of your pet engineers to get friendly with the crew of that ship. See what you can get out of it."

"Yes, Sir."

"Meanwhile I'll work with a few of the people that owe me in the Marines. Perhaps if they won't be persuaded nicely we'll have to take the technologies we want one way or another."

"They will try to stop that, Sir."

"They are Humans and as such in our space they are subject to our rules and our laws. And as such that ship is fair property for EarthForce and our loyal officers." My loyal officers more than others he thought privately.

"Do what you can to slow down this transfer until such time as it suits US and not them. Pull back the material and personnel diverted to them as much as possible to make things problematic for them."

"Sir, are you sure about this?"

"Of course I'm sure. Now do what I tell you to do, Clark out."

The Senator spun away from the screen his face screwed up in anger. How dare these people try to dictate terms, they should be thanking the Alliance for taking them in and even help them with the damage to their ship. The sharing of what they had and what he wanted was only fair in his eyes.

"Senator, Mr Bester to see you."

"Send him in." NOW WHAT?

"Senator Clark."

"Mr Bester what can I do for you today?"

"Several of my telepaths have been sent to Io station for an assignment they will by pass the R&D command station sometime today before they go on to their assignment."

"Are you in contact with them?"

"Yes."

"Then cancel their assignment and have then attached to the R&D teams."

"How exactly?"

"Any way you have to. I want to know more about that ship and crew and if they are all like that Lt."

"At once, Senator." Bester left the room and entered the corridors, once out of sight one of his few and truly obnoxious grins split his face, Clark was right where he wanted him.


	25. Chapter 23

Chapter 23.

"I like the Quiet."

Freedom's Choice

'Anubis' Class refit Ha'tak

Cargo Bay Three/Centauri Barracks

Several hours later

The barrack room was in chaos as the Centauri survivors squabbled amongst themselves about what was happening. The senior of the Officers, Lt Mollari had come before them and informed them of what had happened to them any their ship.

The uproar had been predictable as the crewmen started to shout and complain that what he was saying was impossible. Some were scared of the Jaffa, while others were convinced that the humans were just attempting to lure them into a trap and take their ship and its technology to use against the Minbari.

Mollari had pointed out that the technology used by the Jaffa and these humans was simply not any form of technology available to them, or indeed any race in the Orion arm themselves included. The slightly hysterical members of the group had refused to bow to Mollari's seniority and so demanded they be allowed to leave, that they attacked the Jaffa guards.

Six unconscious Centauri, by way of a Zat blast each, stopped the attempted rebellion before it really began. A dozen staff weapons powering up from the other side of the barracks halted the remaining Centauri in their tracks. Outgunned and out manoeuvred the survivors soon quietened down. Within a few minutes the stunned Centauri were starting to come around after being moved the empty bunks.

"Finished Petty officer?" Carn Mollari asked.

"Sorry Sir, I'll admit I'm scared Sir, but you're right. No human has this technology."

"It may be a cliché Petty Officer, but it's alright to be scared. The Gods know I am and I've been briefed completely about this area of space."

"So we can't go home?"

"Not at the moment Pennari. The 'Resplendent' is too badly damaged to make it home and we are too few to man her even if we could move her."

Another crewman spoke up. They had been told they had taken immense losses in the accident that had brought them through the rift but they did not know the true extent of their losses. They wanted to know.

"Sir? How many of us are left?"

"Colonel Ronson has in formed me just before this meeting that the total estimated surviving crew will be sixty two Centauri."

"Sixty two?"

The shock was palpable as the crewmen around him realised that out of the combined crew and fighter wing only they had survived. Few of the survivors were skilled naval personnel as such; many were conscripts or volunteers from the streets willing to serve in the naval forces.

Several of the crew simply stood up and walked out of the room and into one of the other bays around their own barracks space simply to be alone while others sat in shock on their bunks. A few of the more senior had seen this before but even they were stunned at the losses that had been caused to their crew and their ship.

"How many officers, Sir?"

"Three of us, Sergeant. Myself, Ensign Hetta from stores, and Lt Commander Singletti third shift commander and several of the senior crew survivors will take temporary ranks for the duration."

"Will you be taking command of the ship and crew Sir? I mean you are the only surviving crewmember from the house, Sir."

"For now I will. If Singletti survives I will offer it to him."

"Aye, Sir."

One of the senior crewmen, the current defacto chief engineer and brevet officer, one of the surviving engineering crew came up to the Lieutenant.

"How bad is the damage to the 'Resplendent' Sir?"

"Very bad Chief Engineer. While the external hull is totally intact much of the armour and weapons mounts are gone. The hull won't take another trip through the rift and has no chance of combat. The worst damage is in the internal hull; the hanger is all but ruined as is much of the crew quarters. The engine room is still inaccessible and we don't know why either."

"What about the bridge and defences?"

"The bridge was destroyed and the shield emitters, generators and ECM systems were all crippled by the destruction of the outer layers of the hull. The only systems working are emergency life support and the galley of all things. The food stores are also intact allowing us to eat. We find too much of the human food in inedible to us."

"We really can't get back can we?"

"I don't know my friend, but there is a chance."

"How so, Sir?"

"Do you remember the information that filtered through the fleet grapevine a few days ago about someone helping the humans with their war against the Minbari?"

"Umm, yes. Some ship was supposed to be able to hit the Minbari and the Minbari couldn't stop them."

"Well it's possible that ship belongs to the humans of this place and if so it means that their ships can survive the journey."

"Will they take us back?"

"I really don't know, I think they would but apparently our physiology suffered badly when going through the rift. Even the shielding of their warships may not keep us safe."

"Understood. This isn't going to be easy, Sir."

"This isn't going to be easy."

"They've lost a lot of people in the last few days, more if we can't reverse whatever happened to those people in the Infirmaries. Any luck on getting anything out of some of them?" Jack asked his younger friend.

"Nothing yet Jack. Some of the few I've talked to talk about legends and myths surrounding what they call the 'first ones' but nothing concrete yet."

"First ones? Kinda like the Ancients and your meaning of life stuff?"

"I don't know. As I said there's not much they can tell me but from what I got from them there is one race there called the 'Vorlons' that don't get involved in the lives of other races."

"Sounds like the Tollen."

"These Vorlons are said to be a race millions of years old. No one has seen one and no one who enters their space comes out again."

"Xenophobic or just people that want to keep their hands close to the chest."

"I really don't know, but it would be fascinating to find this out though."

"If we get permission to, I'm going to send the Prometheus and two Free Jaffa ships through the rift. If that Primus class ship can get through without shields and a rickety hull there is a good chance our own ships will be able to get through the rift intact and alive."

"You're going with them?"

"No, I have to get back to the SGC or the President might get slightly annoyed at me. Sam and Teal'c are coming back as well. What about you?"

"I'm not sure yet; give me a few hours to think about it."

"Take your time. It'll be a few days before the mission leaves if it does."

"Fine, so what now?"

"Carter's taken a group over to the Centauri ship to have a look around. I'm going with the next team to have a look around see exactly what these Centauri are made of."

"Ok. I'll keep trying to find out more about these 'First Ones'; see if there's anything like the Four Races Alliance in their history."

"Keep me apprised Daniel and don't give up too much to these guys. We don't really know anything about their beliefs or anything we don't want a war on our hands."

"I'll try."

Anla'Shok Vessel Sha'mak

Sharlin Class Battle Refit

Same time.

The Flagship of the Small Anla'shok division of the Minbari Naval forces entered the system that the Centauri Primus Class vessel had last been seen in by its escort ships. The Sharlin started a full scan of the system in order to find what the Centauri ship had been so interested in that they would leave their escorts behind.

The scanners of the Minbari ships were much more advanced than any others in the known worlds and the Anla'shok's own ships were more advanced again than the normal warships of the Minbari fleet.

These scanners stretched out across the entire system scanning and analysing everything they could see, the Sha'mak quickly and easily scanned the system in multiple sections, finding nothing. Fighters had been launched as well to assist with the scan, the fighters finally turned up what could only be described as a rip in space. The tear was emitting energy waves unfamiliar to the Minbari aboard.

"Entil'zah, we are reading slight debris readings from the surrounding area. The readings are equivalent to hull and weapons components of a Centauri ship. However there is insufficient debris that would constitute a complete destruction of a capital ship."

"Anything from the rift?"

"Negative, the rift is absorbing, or retarding every scanner we have at this range however short range scans should penetrate the rift and allow us to see through to the other side."

"Do we have anything that matches the rift in our records?"

"Negative, the rift has some variances that look like hyperspace emissions as well as some form of high band radiation but nothing that can penetrate our hull."

"Take us in closer and keep scanning the rift, let me know when we are able to pick up anything from the other side."

"Yes Entil'zah."

USAF Prometheus

Same time.

"Sir, emissions from the other side are way up."

"Source?"

"Unknown possibly another ship."

"Recall the patrol flights and contact General O'Neill and get one of the Centauri up here."

"Aye Sir."

"Scans are gaining in strength, same signal type as the Centauri ship just much more powerful."

"So not another one of their ships?"

"Not that I can see, Sir."

"Sir the scans have just ripped right off the Centauri's level and are increasing, looks like they want to know what's on this side of the rift."

"Can we see anything?"

"Not much there seems to be something interfering with the scans."

"The rift?"

"I don't think so, Sir. The rift has settled. It looks like it's coming from that side."

"Some kind of ECM?"

"The Minbari?"

"Red Alert all hands to battle stations, repeat all hand to battle stations. Contact General O'Neill and Colonel Ronson have them return ASAP."

"Aye, Sir."

"Sir, all ships in system have gone to full alert," the Scanner operator said. "Look's like they've seen it too."

"Anything else from that ship?"

"No, Sir. I'm not sure they've even seen us yet this far from the rift."

"Keep all sensors on that signal."

"Aye, Sir."

"Sir Comms Replied. "Colonel Ronson and General O'Neill are returning to the Prometheus, ETA three Minutes."

"Good, keep them apprised."

"Yes, Sir."

Aboard the small cargo ship the two high-ranking officers of the fleet were heading back to their command ship. The knowledge that more ships were arriving in the system through the rift was a cause for concern.

The continual problems with the remaining Goa'uld and the Wraith attacks on Atlantis Base were sapping the strength of the Allied forces human and Jaffa alike. Another hostile race was not something they wanted or needed at that moment in time with one warship missing in action and the second on the return leg from Atlantis Base. It's recall after the loss of the Achilles and finally the Prometheus on SAR and diplomatic duties, the defences of earth were critically depleted to bare minimum levels.

The newcomer could be another Centauri warship that may think they were responsible for the destruction of their ship, or worst-case scenario, it might be the arrival of one of those Minbari vessels they had been informed about by the Centauri officers.

If that was so then they could be in for some trouble if these Minbari were so gung-ho about killing every human that came across their paths. The Prometheus as a human only ship would be the first target but they had no idea about what would happen to the Free Jaffa ships in the squadron.

The Prometheus' resident diplomatic geniuses in the guises of Captain Robert Smith and Dr. Daniel Jackson believed that the Jaffa as an offshoot of the human race would be a viable target for the Minbari. They could very well be viewed as as a threat to the Minbari because of the pure size of their race as well as the numbers of ships under their control.

However, if the news was true and the missing Prometheus class ship had done that much damage to so many ships, then the numbers of fighters, bombers and capital ships in Jaffa hands would do immense damage to the Minbari ships with few losses. But for now until the actual contact with the Minbari Federation was made the ships of USAF Space Command would no longer be at the forefront of this mission until a consensus was met between the two powers.

The newest arrival was unidentified as far as they could make out. The ship through the rift and that ship's own ECM systems were most likely the aforementioned Minbari. And as such they were reluctant to allow contact between either side until some form of diplomatic rendezvous that didn't include the firing of weapons against the other side could be arranged.

The cargo ship turned in place and brought itself to one of the ship's outer airlocks in order to dock without having to depressurise the entire hanger deck. The three passengers transferred to the warship and headed for the ship's bridge in the centre of the command tower.

"Major what have you got?" Ronson asked as he took his command seat."

"Sir, the unidentified ship is closing with the rift."

"What?"

"I think they're trying to see what's on the other side. They seem to be following the path the Centauri took."

"What's the likelihood they'll see us?"

"Unlikely Sir. But if they continue in they may end up transferring through the hole if it expands again."

"What kind of damage are we looking at if they transverse?"

"With the damage taken by the Centauri ship as a template, even a few hundred years of armour and system advancement the Minbari supposedly have won't keep any ship that comes through from being crippled or destroyed. Their systems and crew will be decimated same as the Centauri were."

"Have Lt Mollari brought up here immediately"

"Aye, Sir."

The order was given to bring the Centauri officer to the Bridge. Minutes later, the smaller man was in front of the monitors that had brought up the recorded sensor scans of the unknown ship. For the Centauri the Silhouette was unmistakable.

"It's a Minbari warship Colonel. A heavy Ship of the line and she looks ready for battle."

"That ship is approaching the rift and fast Lieutenant. If we try to warn them would they listen to us?"

"No Sir. The Minbari hate the humans with a passion. Any attempt from a human to tell the Minbari where they can and can't go would only anger them. The Minbari are a slightly arrogant race when it comes to this."

"Right, if that's the case Lt, please take the command chair."

"Colonel?"

"If a human can't then maybe a Centauri survivor of a ship lost because of that rift may be able to change their minds."

"I'm just a junior officer-they wouldn't listen to me."

"Lt, the crew of that ship could lose as many of their fellows as you did when the 'Resplendent' came through the rift. Are you really willing to let that happen to another ship?"

"No Sir, but…"

"Please Lt, you yourself said that the Minbari would not listen to a human crew, however they would listen to a Centauri."

"I'll try Colonel; that's all I can do."

"Open a channel, Comms."

"Channel open; it's piercing the rift."

"Mr Mollari?"

"This Is Lt Carn Mollari ranking survivor of the Centauri Republic Warship Centauri Resplendent, do you receive us?"

"All hands, keep out of the camera's view for as long as possible." Colonel Ronson added.

"Aye Sir," came a chorus of answers.

"We've got signal."

"Patch it through."

"Centauri Ship, this is the Minbari Expeditionary vessel Sha'mak. We receive you."

"Sha'mak, please to not approach any closer to the Rift. It is extremely hazardous."

"Explain," the voice ordered the young lieutenant.

"The rift expanded to encompass my ship and pulled it through to this side of the rift, it has sent us through to another area of space out of range of Centauri space. Our ship is heavily damaged and we have taken a great many casualties in the days since then."

"We understand. What is the current situation for your people."

"We are safe and the few survivors are recovering." The Centauri looked at the colonel who nodded, "a friendly power came across and offered assistance. The Jaffa were most cordial."

"We are not familiar with this race."

"Neither were we. They are unfamiliar with us and any of the races in our space."

"Understood, we shall contact Centauri prime and inform them about your predicament."

"Thank you, Sha'mak."

"Good luck Resplendent. Sha'Mak, Out."

"That was lucky," said the 2IC.

"Too much so. They were not the usual Minbari we know of."

"They did agree too easily."

"They're going to come through anyway aren't they?" asked the Colonel

"The Minbari do not trust many and do not listen easily," the young Centauri said. "This ship may not of the castes that we have most contact with."

"How do you mean?" asked the Colonel

"As I have mentioned before the Caste system is a system of three castes equal in influence to the others. However we have had little actual contact outside of the Warriors or the Religious. The ship could well be that of the Builders. The last is a group that have been rumoured to be a form of Intelligence gathering force from their populace, however it is all rumour and nothing has been confirmed."

"This forth Caste type, what do you know about them?"

"Nothing much, that's the problem with rumours."

"If they come through, we're gonna have trouble."

"The only way to stop them would be to scare them off and as far as I know the Minbari are not afraid of anything."

"Sensors keep an eye on the rift. If there is any sign that the rift is going to expand again inform us at once."

"Aye, Sir."

"Also keep an eye on the Minbari vessel. We may have more of a problem than we thought.

**Warrior Satai Meeting Chambers **

**Minbar**

**Minbari Federation**

**Two days later**

"They know."

"Yes all of them; every ship and every fighter in the Navy."

"How did they find out?"

"The return of the Drala Fi in its damaged state did not go unnoticed. Men and women from all castes were there to see her arrival and it was well known that the Drala Fi was on the front lines against the humans. The fact that she was the only one of her entire attack force to return and heavily damaged at that could only mean one thing. The knowledge that other ships had disappeared has only enlightened that fact. It was only a matter of time."

"What is the state of fleet morale at the knowledge that so many ships were destroyed by the actions of the Earthers?"

"The Fleets closer to Minbar are at heightened states of alert and across those fleets the entirety of the Warrior caste do not believe that such could have happened because of the humans. However those closer to and indeed on the front lines are more believing of such a feat. The remaining ships of our ambush on the humans in one of their former systems, has also let us know that the enemy ship has been repaired to full capability by the Earth alliance."

"You losses were slight compared to the number of their ships destroyed by our task forces."

"Then we are to continue on into their territory." It was not a question.

"Yes, we will continue. We still need to locate the Humans homeworld as soon as possible, otherwise this conflict may drag on and we will take more losses than we can afford with the next war approaching."

"Then you agree with the Religious caste that the Shadows are due to return soon."

"Indeed I do. The losses we have taken in the last few months have been more than we can sustain if we wish to have a viable war fleet in any form."

"We have lost many against this new craft and even with the little information we have gathered from the Anla'shok and from our agents within the League of Non aligned worlds, we are no closer to finding the true home of the Achilles or any way of getting to her and destroying her."

"The newcomer ship has left its former home at Durani Station has it not?"

"It has."

"Then it is only logical that they have sent this ship to their most fortified positions, they have returned it to Earth."

"We will be unable to destroy that ship before the humans can refit their ships with the newest of their stolen technologies."

"That may be a problem. We outnumber and outgun the Earthers by almost half again their number. However as has been noted by the warriors, we would need to pool a great many of our fleets together from all corners of the Federation to overwhelm and destroy the humans defences and their planets. The destruction of the first of their mid range bases is at hand and the loss of ships may become more of a problem the further in that the fleet goes."

"What is the fleet's status?"

The third of the three Satai stood from his position and strode towards the large set of panels that made up part of the far wall. Activating it, a view of the entire Minbari Federation projected around their heads much as it would have done aboard the Valen'tha. All around them the hundreds of ships in the front lines were numbers. Those numbers identified the rest of the almost two thousand strong fleet of warships that made up the immense power of the Minbari military.

Hundreds of ships could be seen along the multiple sector line that made up the front against the humans. More and more could be seen in sectors behind them reinforcing and replenishing those forces that had lost ships in battle. Two entire sectors however were all but clear of their presence. The battles against Beta Durani and the Achilles Battle group had been costly to the surrounding lines. Only a few damaged and straggler ships patrolled the sectors, nothing that could hold again a determined attack by the Earthers armed with their newest scanners.

"The main battle fleets are holding the line several light years from the humans systems. Most of the task forces assembled are finding it as simple as always to destroy the Human ships. However, recently more and more human ships have seemed to see through our stealth systems and damage our ships, fortunately they are few in numbers and with their destruction the rest of the ships in their patrols have fallen quickly."

A gun camera view from the fore of a Nial class fighter came up around them, three Minbari ships nearby were burning while others were damaged, the outnumbered Minbari force concentrated fire on a few EarthForce cruisers causing them to explode. Seconds after the destruction of the closest of the Nova Dreadnaughts, the fire of the human ships had become erratic allowing the half dozen Sharlin Cruisers to annihilate the twenty ship task force within a few minutes.

"Much as the Achilles did at Beta Durani it seems the few ships they have modified are being used as a form of electronic countermeasures against our stealth. Their ability to scan us are transmitted to the other ships and are able them to destroy our vessels. However with the destruction of their command ship the humans fell quickly."

The scene ended with the escape of the last cruiser into hyperspace. The holographic system retreated into the ceiling of the command chamber above them leaving the chamber dark again with the three of them illuminated by their single floods.

"We have lost several ships up and down the front lines. Approximate losses are thirty one ships to the humans using their current methods. However as before most, of the human ships have been destroyed once their advanced scanner systems have been destroyed. The human fleet is still of little threat to us or our ships."

"Good, then continue with the assault on their mid range bases."

"What of their two upgraded stations?"

"Leave them as they are. Once we have destroyed the support structure from the inner Systems that support them they will fall without too much damage to our forces."

"This is the Station that is responsible for a great number of their ships being upgraded with their new scanners and weapons systems."

"I realise that Satai. However we have little choice. We do not have the numbers in the area to destroy that outpost without total losses to our fleet. Their upgrades will not save the human ships from overwhelming numbers that will lead to their destruction."

"Yes, Satai."

A Warrior attaché approached the trio and awaited orders from the senior most of the three,

"All forward fleets are to await reinforcements en route and in three days they are to attack every outpost along the front, destroy every ship and station they find. Have the second and third Centauri border Fleets head to the areas that our lines are most vulnerable,"

The Second of the three spoke up. "Also have the Workers begin reactivation of the Mothballed fleets here at Minbar and at the Warrior stronghold at Haza-Kinia."

The warrior bowed and left the room to distribute orders to the other warriors in the warrior compound, four separate warriors scattered to their duties.

"The Mothball fleets?" asked one of the Satai.

The second looked at his friend. "I have seen what these humans are now capable of. I do not believe our forces are quite as capable of wiping out the humans as they once were." He lowered his hood to reveal the face of Satai Sharonn. "So many losses in so little time for so few of the human's ships have been a stain on our honour."

"It is more than that." Coplann lowered his own voice. "The fleet know that the humans are rapidly growing in power in their weapons and their scanners. With this outside help from these unknown humans and their ship, we are going to meet an enemy capable of hitting us hard. We need this over with as soon as possible in order to be ready to assist the Vorlons when the time comes." He looked his fellows in the eyes

"The Shadow war is coming" Coplann continued. "Everything is coming to pass and we are now being tested to a degree we have not seen in one thousand years. These humans are not the Shadows or their ilk, nor are these newcomers anything to do with the Shadows. However we will come out of this war forged in steel and more powerful than we have ever been, the humans are the first step. When the shadows come we will be ready for them.


	26. Interlude 3

Interlude 3

"That is why in our society we only believe in sex, constant, guilt-free sex"

USAF Prometheus

Four days Post Contact.

The Claxons rang throughout the ship awakening the ship's Commander from a heavy and restless sleep. Years of experience caused Ronson to jump from sleep to awake in an instant allowing his training to guide him quickly into his clothes and to the bridge in an automatic fashion.

Running through the corridors of his ship, he almost collided with General O'Neill as he charged around the corner. Pausing to regain their balance the two officers hit the bridge at full speed.

"Report!" shouted Ronson.

"Sir, the Minbari are coming through."

"What? Warn them off."

"No response Sir, I don't think they believed the Centauri."

"Dammit, get me the 'Choice.'"

"Aye, Sir."

"This Is Freedom's Choice, Go ahead Colonel " replied Daniel Jackson from the Ha'takClass warship, his time was being spent with the Centauri Survivors trying to learn more about their people.

"Dr Jackson, the Minbari vessel is attempting to cross the rift."

"What?"

"They are trying to cross the rift. It looks as if they've had enough of waiting."

"They didn't believe the Centauri then."

"Apparently not. When I order it I want the Choice to fire a low level salvo through the rift."

"Is that wise, Colonel?"

"Possibly not but we need to spook them, try to get them away from the rift before they get themselves killed."

"The ship's Commander agrees, Colonel. The ship's weapons are at lowest levels. We'll try to warn them off."

"Good." He turned to his XO. "Someone get Mollari up here immediately."

"Aye, Sir."

"_Prometheus, Choice, _We've got a lock but their too close and fire will cripple the ship and possibly kill them," Daniel Jackson's voice came over the Comm Line.

"Try a few shots through just warn them off."

"Firing."

Four single pulses from the Ha'tak's punched through the rift and lit up the hull of the Sharlin as they passed close to the hull. Unperturbed the Sharlin fired back and continued into the rift penetrating the event horizon.

"No effect Sir, the Minbari ship's coming through the rift."

"Put it on the Monitors."

The results were predictable, as the rift caught the Sharlin it pulled the massive ship through the vortex and sent it spinning out the other side. The damage caused to the Angelfish-shaped warship was immense as it came out the other side. The ship was larger and more heavily armed and shielded than the Centauri vessel had been, but even that hadn't saved the ship from crippling damage to its systems.

One of the three drive fins had been shattered with crystalline armour and internals showing as shards floated around the hull, burns and cuts were scattered around the hull where the armour and shielding had failed opening up the main hull to space. The ship's visible weapons batteries had been all but melted into slabs of metal.

The ship began to rotate on two of its three axis as its power systems shut down across the ship as the reactors cut out to stop an overload. Lights flickered and died leaving the ship dark and dead in space.

"What have we got?" asked O'Neill

"They have Life support and some emergency systems running. Their back up power systems are stable she came through better than the Centauri ship but not by much."

"Choice, Prometheus, can you get that ship stable."

"We'll try," said Jackson. "The Choice's Captain says it's much bigger and it may be impossible to stop completely at its current speed and mass."

"We've got life signs, a few hundred still alive, Daniel," Jack said. "Tell the Jaffa to use caution these guys are to be considered extremely hostile."

"We got it Jack, there's little radiation so we should be able to ring over straight from the Ha'taks."

"Daniel, we're sending over Mollari to help you out he might be able to calm them down."

"Thanks Jack. Choice out."

Jack looked to Ronson, "Ever have the feeling that history repeats itself?"

**Earth Alliance Special Operations Command**

**In Orbit around Venus**

**One week post arrival of USAF Achilles **

The Earth Alliance SOC Shipyards was Earthforce command's current equivalent of the 'Skunk Works' that had been part of the Military of every government for over three hundred years.

The shipyards themselves were the backbone of the construction of the newest prototypes the Earth Alliance had designed. One such construction had been the original Nova X Class destroyers of which all but a single one had been destroyed by the Minbari during the early months of the war.

While powerful and long-ranged, the Nova X class was just unable to see the enemy units on the scanners leading to their loss before they could do any worthy damage to the Minbari ships of the line. The sole surviving unit that was unfinished at the time the others had gone into battle, was now stored at the Omega Bays at the SOC shipyards. The Nova X yards were in use at Beta Durani, the base now had several partially built ships on the slipways, but due to material problems and the need for more ships on the line the Nova X ships had languished unfinished for the last three months.

Work on the ships had slowed on the orders of Earthdome once it was realized that some of the newest technology obtained from the Narn and Non-Aligned worlds could be included on the newest ships. Work had totally stopped several weeks ago with the arrival of an unknown vessel in Alliance space.

Technology was traded **for** by this new ship for supplies and a homeport for repairs. The technology specification used technology that was so far out of date it was surprising that the ship was even capable of spaceflight. Systems that ran the entire length of the ship could be reduced to the size of a small room with the current level of technology the Alliance had.

With the technology being worked on by other areas of the Alliance, it was easy to acquire copies of every system they might need to outfit their newest vessel. SOC had been building their own ships with some additional capabilities at the same time as the information had come through.

The work on some of the ships had been close to completion when the new systems had been purchased by the Alliance from a newcomer to the area. The biggest ships were too large and were almost completed and could not be effectively modified.

While the larger ships still languished, unfinished and awaiting orders for completion, it had come to the attention of the SW's commander that a smaller vessel might be of more use as a test bed than any of the larger ships that were under construction. However it was also a problem.

The Skunk works had no small vessels under construction at their main shipyards. It was generally accepted that the smaller and less powerful units of the fleet were all but useless to their fleet with the Minbari so close to the Alliance Inner colonies. The Hyperions, as the smallest, were still much too large to use for a prototype test bed and were too close to completion with the Narn assisted weapons designs.

In response to this oversight, the shipyard's command staff had acquired a smaller ship from one of the other shipyards for a stripped down and refit. The refit took no time at all, now that ship was ready for its first shakedown cruise.

**EAS ZEUS**

**Olympus Class Corvette Refit**

"Captain orders from Earthdome. We're to move out immediately for shakedown. We've been ordered to stay away from any Minbari ships we come across. If we are unable to get away, shoot to kill."

"Respond 'orders received and understood'. Zeus Class One is breaking dock. "

With their orders received and the ship in ready condition, the small warship left its construction dock and broke out into the darkness of space. Below it the muted orange and yellow orb of the dark side of Venus spun, keeping the SOC yards hidden from the majority of those in the Alliance military. The Zeus headed into space away from the base and set a course for the border. A quick test of its impressive highly sensitive scanners and a test of its weapons sublight engines would be first on the agenda for the crew. A ship close by the refit warship opened a jump point allowing the warship to leave the system heading for the border stations near Beta Durani, the ships' stores would only last so long on patrol, the stores would all but exhausted by their voyage to the outer systems.

The ship had been improved in every way possible since the first copies of the specs had been sent to the R&D department of all Sol System shipyards. And in those weeks the EA's own miniaturised versions had been attached to the ship as they were produced; however by the launch many were not ready for installation. The Zeus, on the other hand, was armed with Railguns, improved scanners and a very early form of the Tau'ri human's ECM suite. Artificial Gravity and sublight engine systems were still months from readiness although the engines they did have were much more powerful thanks to some help increasing their engine efficiency using the Achilles' own engines as a template.

She was still as agile as her original class but the speed was close to that of a Centauri Capital ship allowing them to run if necessary. The Narn weapons had also been included and now for the first time it was possible that a single human ship could put up a good fight against a Minbari warship. If this ship was successful the remaining Nova X class warships would be totally stripped down and refitted using the newly acquired technology from the newcomer's ship and anything else they could recover from the Minbari warships now in their hands.

The Olympus Corvette headed towards the station at Beta Durani at full burn. They had little problem with fuel as they would have no problem refuelling once they made their way there. The orders currently in their database would give them access to all and any resources in the Alliance without any questions asked.

**IO Station**

**R&D Labs**

**That Day**

The explosion that ripped through the R&D labs was immense, the fireball that emitted from the blown out sections as over a mile in length and several decks high. Thousands of men and women were killed instantly with hundreds more thrown out into space to die in the agony of explosive decompression. Secondary explosions caused by the exposure of the internal sections of the station caused even more death and damage to people and equipment combined. An entire section slewed off and collided with one of the smaller patrol ships close to the station. More fire blew out the sides of the already damaged areas of the station finally severing the entire block from the main station itself sending it spinning away from the station and thankfully away from the traffic lanes around the transfer point. The resulting damage was horrendous in the few seconds before the station's bulkheads and vacuum doors slammed shut cutting off the oxygen feed and halting the concussive damage from going further into the station. Less than twenty seconds had passed since the first explosion had hit the R&D department but the damage was incalculable to the survivors.

"What the hell was that?" shouted the Station's Watch Commander.

"We've got explosions in the primary and secondary atmospheric systems to the Hanger Bays."

"How bad?"

"We've lost the entire arm of the station, no reports from any areas that were adjacent to the lost sections. Sir we've lost a full mile of the station."

"That's impossible." He brought up a section of the station on the screen, his surprise redoubled and he saw the true damage to the station, closing his eyes he turned away from the display. "Any chance it's a scanner problem."

"No, Sir. External cameras confirm it. We've lost an entire section of the station. Sir there were over three thousand people in that section and surrounding areas." The officer looked at her commander.

"Anything else?" His eyes still closed, his demeanour slumped his command had been attacked and now thousands were dead on his watch, "What about the surrounding sections and the nearest vessels."

"The Sylvester was damaged by a piece of debris, she's being evacuated into the main sections. Without those Atmospheric systems the hangers will lose life support with the next six hours."

"How many ships in there?"

"Four Sir, the Atherton, the Sentry, the Darkstar and the Achilles."

Two Hyperions, a Nova and the Newcomer ship plus the shipyard personnel were all trapped in there.

"Have all personnel evacuate immediately. Contact each ship and have them pull their people in and lock down until we can get the systems back online."

"Aye, Sir. Sir the causeways to the hanger complex are locked down and depressurised. It was put in as part of the alert systems last year.

"Anyone left is to get board one of the other ships. Ask the Achilles to take any they can on. They should still be attached to the umbilicals."

The entire station had gone onto the highest alert when the first explosions had happened causing the personnel to scramble for their positions. In the hanger bays the personnel had been put into shuttles or whatever else was **on** hand and sent to the other side of the complex, those who couldn't get across the causeways made their way to the Achilles and the EA ships tethered to the dry-docks. Within an hour the entire complex had been cleared and secured by space suited Marines from the Io barracks. The docks were opened and the trapped ships manoeuvred out from their positions inside.

"Sir, the station's clear. Command and control are all that's left."

"Okay. Evac the last of the Command staff and shut down everything."

"Aye Sir. The last of the shuttles is taking on the remaining crew members." The crewman looked at his screens. "Sir there's a message from Earthdome, we're to keep anyone from landing or docking to any of the damaged sections until the Internal Affairs geeks get here."

"Right. What's the status on the ships?"

"The Nova has been transferred to the Earth orbital complexes while the Hyperions are still in orbit about Io."

"And the Achilles?"

"The Achilles has been requested to make their way to Earth and to dock at Earth Station One immediately."

"Dispatch the message to the Achilles. It's up to them where they go."

"Aye, Sir."

"Time to go Ladies and Gentlemen."

The command staff of the station vacated their terminals shutting down the equipment as they went. Only a minute or two elapsed before the Commander and Exec were the only people left board the R&D station.

"Commence systems shut down," the command told his subordinate.

"Systems shut down commencing, weapons down, defences offline, sections shutting down, one through twenty two, twenty six through fifty, fifty one through seventy five. All remaining sections are already shut down, Sir."

The commander nodded. "Okay Environmentals at minimum; reactors spooling down to minimum as well. All airlocks are locked down and umbilical systems are offline."

"That's it, Sir. The station's offline."

"Good, get to the shuttle."

"Aye, Sir."

The Major turned from his position and typed a half dozen commands into the station, the last command shutting down the command centre itself. The busy and powerful station was silent and dark for the first time in many years. The Commander walked out and to his shuttle, not looking back.

**USAF Achilles**

**Near Earth Orbit**

The small Prometheus class ship was enclosed in a small formation of EarthForce warships heading towards Earth itself. The smaller ship seemed little more than a corvette or even a cargo ship to the Kilometre long Nova class dreadnaughts that made up the bulk of its escort ships. The Blue and Green planet grew in front of the Air force vessel as the Achilles approached the massive structure in orbit of Earth.

"Someone's been watching too much TV," whispered one the Non-coms on the bridge to another."

The station was close to the size of the station at Beta Durani and was designed much like that of the spinning habitat from the film 2001. The O'Neill class station spun in amongst yet another series of smaller units surrounding the immediate area. Dozens of spaceships were in various stages of construction, from the smallest Orestes Class ship to the largest Nova refits.

The biggest surprise for the crews of the Achilles and her consorts was the trio of Narn Heavy Cruisers docked aboard the closest of the smaller docking platforms. Their beautiful lines and fearsome looks made them look much more dangerous than the blocky Hyperions surrounding them.

"G'Quan Class Cruisers Sir, three of them," Major Davis said.

"Can we get any readings on them?"

"Aye, Sir. Their ECM is worse off than the Alliance's. We've got everything we need to know."

"Attach it to everything else we've found so far, also ready a transmission copy of it. Maybe the Alliance would like a copy."

"Aye, Sir."

"Sir, we're receiving instructions. We're to dock at the main station instead of the outer defensive stations."

"Acknowledge orders and bring us around."

"Aye, Sir," Davis responded

The Achilles pulled away from her escorts. Running lights flashing from both groups in acknowledgement and farewell to each other before the Alliance ships pulled away and headed out system and back to the outer defence fleet.

The Achilles was tagged and targeted by dozens of smaller satellites and defensive fortifications in the immediate area around Earth's principle space station. The small ship's ECM stopped most of the scans from seeing them let alone actually targeting them, but the power had been reduced to minimal to allow them to see the ship itself in an attempt to allow the STC to properly guide them.

"Sir, primary ring is up ahead. We're being guided in."

"Follow their instruction helm. Try to keep us from hitting anything."

"The breaks are a little sticky, but the steering's fine, Sir" the Helmsmen quipped back.

"Good."

Davis sat next to his Commanding Officer as the ship moved closer to the Alliance space station. While the O'Neill class habitats were useful, the SGC's technical ability meant that any station that may be built by them would not use spinning sections to simulate gravity not with the gravity technology salvaged from the Goa'uld.

"What were those Narn here for?" Davis wondered.

"Paul?"

"Those Narn are here for a reason and the only reason I can think of is that the Narn know about our treaty with the Alliance."

"What do you think?"

"I think they are going to try to get technology from us or the Alliance for their own reasons, be it already shared tech or some of our own stuff. From what I've read on them from the Alliance database downloaded to the main system these Narns are opportunistic, mercenary and are little better than scavengers and thieves."

"Sounds like a nasty bunch."

"This is just one side of the story, Sir and we've already noticed a serious amount of Xenophobia in and around the Earth Alliance. I don't recommend that we let this information colour our meetings with any of the other races in this area of space. God knows we've got enough of a problem with the Minbari."

"Agreed. Keep all ship's sensors going. Keep an eye on the Narn ships as well. We don't know them and I'm not risking this ship and crew **_to_** an unknown race."

"Once bitten, twice shy, Colonel?"

"Damn straight, Major."


	27. Chapter 24

Chapter 24  
"I've always had a bit of a blind spot with Sevens"

EA Outpost Hamunaptra  
Wolf 359 System Outskirts

"What have we got Lieutenant?"

"Nothing yet Sir, the scans are clear for a good light year in all directions."

"Keep on alert. Those Minbari will be back and we're all that's left in this quadrant."

"Aye, Sir.

The first indication that the system was under attack was the destruction of the outermost sensor stations at the system's edge and hyperspace sensor satellites in hyperspace itself. Attacks from multiple angles stripped the system of it's long range detection capability and it's communications with any other system on the border.

The last of the outposts was hit by no less than four Sharlin war cruisers simultaneously, causing the entire outpost to implode as the vacuum of space, crushing the station like a tin can.

The station got a single word signal out to the System's main station- "Incoming"

With the destruction of the last of the system's outposts, the sixteen ship force headed deeper into the system towards the command base and shipyards of Wolf 359.

Wolfhound Command Station  
Wolf 359 system  
Orion Sector  
Same time

The tachyon signal from the outpost arrived at the command station only seconds after its transmission. The station by a quirk of universal nature also named 'Wolfhound station' registered the bad it was on. The communication could only mean one thing; the Minbari had penetrated into the inner colonies.

"Commander, we've lost communications with Earthdome. We've got jamming over all the wavelengths."

"Contact all ships have the fleet come to standby and launch all Starfuries."

"Aye Sir."

From the three stations that made up Wolfhound, more than ninety Starfuries left their bays and joined the swarming mass of fighters from the alert ships. The few remaining ships had been reinforced by Earthforce a week beforehand and had yet to meet the Minbari in battle.

The Multitude of Starfury wings took up flanking and point positions around the fleet, Olympus, older Avenger Carriers, and even the ancient Tethys Cutters had been pulled together to reinforce the front lines. The carriers now launched their dual squadrons while the Hyperions and Nova released their own flights. The Minbari jumped into the system well away from the Human ships.

"Sitrep."

"Sir, we're reading sixteen Minbari ships coming into the system. Only three of the big guys though, the rest seem to be frigates or smaller."

"They know how many ships we have in system," he said reviewing the situation. "Even with their stealth we'd destroy them all."

"I don't know Sir. It's possible they didn't want to use too many ships in case we had that new scanning system Earthforce has developed."

"How many ships do?"

"Two Sir, the Hyperion and the Agamemnon."

"A thirty year old ships and a ship of green officers, great. Have them both pull back to the inner defensive systems, bring what we have left online to defend them."

"Aye Sir missile launchers and pulse cannons active, SIR engineering reports we've lost the servos in the railgun turrets, their stuck fast, Sir."

"Nukes?"

"Two in the silos Sir. Eight more in the cargo bays, no use to us except as destruct systems."

"Any chance a fighter could lug one out there?"

"Negative Sir, the Starfuries have enough of a problem against the Nials as it is hauling a nuke is suicide."

"Never mind, anything else?"

"No Sir, the systems destroyed in the last siege haven't been restored yet. The cargo ships and engineering teams have moved away from the battle, their escorts are patrolling our rear side in case it's a trap."

"Understood, any chance of contacting Earthdome?"

"Negative Sir, the local beacon's being masked by the Minbari. Even the refit ships can't pierce the interference."

"Get me Fleet Command."

EAS Hephestion  
Nova Class Dreadnaught  
Command ship Wolf 359 Defence Fleet  
Wolf 359 System

Across the other side of the system, the last of the destroyed ships was being picked over by one of the ships of the system defence fleet. The Nova dreadnaught was the sole surviving ship left of the original hundred and twenty strong Wolf 359 defence force. It's command had been damaged or outright destroyed by non-stop attacks against the station and it's forces over the course of the preceding weeks.

The reinforcements had been a godsend to the badly mauled and outnumbered defenders. The fleet had been in time to destroy a pair of Sharlins using the Nova as a moving target. The warriors had been overconfident to the extent that a barrage of fire had bracketed the warcruisers from behind blowing both apart in plasma and nuclear fire.

The cruisers and dreadnaughts had cruised into the system each ship group entering into predetermined patrols to replace those ships already lost to the Minbari advance. The patrols sent back images that were all too familiar to the human ships.

Minbari debris and crippled ship hulks were dotted around the system usually intermingled with the smaller human ships where some had been rammed or had been caught in an explosion of a fusion reactor. However what was apparent was that the destroyed Minbari ships were grossly outnumbered by the dozens of hulks of human ships of the line.

The days had gone on, each ship was found and pulled back to the single functioning dockyard, weapons and equipment stripped for use on the functional ships in the system. One scan proved that a single Sagittarius class Missile frigate had not even fired it's main weapons in anger before it was sliced apart by close range fire from fusion weapons. Its missile racks were still intact and ready for firing- the ship's emergency reactors still powering the derelict ship.

"Hephestion to Shipyard."

"Go ahead."

"We've got a missile frigate here. All weapons still armed and ready, request immediate dispatch of a tender to bring her in."

"Negative Hephestion, all ships are being called back to the station. We've got incoming."

"What?"

"Sir?" A voice came from the comm. Officer. "We've got a signal from Wolfhound station. We've got Minbari ships coming in."

"Shit, get us over there maximum speed."

"Aye, Sir."

"Engineering this is the bridge."

"Aye, Sir."

"Redline the Engines Mac, we've got incoming Minbari ships."

"Aye, Sir. We'll get this lady there for the ball."

"All weapons stations read ready, Sir. Energy routing systems are still under repair Sir. We've no more that fifty percent."

"Understood, get what you can out of the system."

"Aye Sir."

The routing system had been designed for use aboard the Nova class destroyers shortly before the war with the Minbari. The Nova class ships were over-gunned for their size and their power plants underpowered to arm all the ship's weapons as well as its engines. In response to that a design allowing immediate transfer of power from one area of the ship's weapons to another was designed.

Only a few of the Nova class ships built in the last few years had the system. It was impossible to retrofit it into the earlier vessels and it took time to incorporate into the Novas on the slipways. The Novas were needed on the front lines and so with the exception of a half dozen in construction around Titan, the Novas went on without the refits.

Now the Hephestion was one of three of these ships in service and it was hoped that the ability to arm and rearm individual weapons system around the ship without losing speed would be of help against the Minbari. Indeed it was this system that had allowed the Nova class ship to survive thus far, unfortunately the system was prone to failure as the crew had found out to the chagrin.

"Sir, in-system ships are engaging the Minbari."

"On Speakers."

"Wolfhound Station to all ships, lock on the larger ships and fire at will. All fighters break by squadrons and attack. Watch for enemy fighters."

"Avenger One to all Fighters, break by squadrons. Missile attacks on the escort ships let the big boys take the bigger bastards down."

"Theta one to Avenger One, we're not receiving telemetry from the fleet."

"Delta One to Avenger, same here we're not receiving anything."

Each squadron leader added their information to the mix. Every one of the Starfury squadrons were in the same fix as none were capable of receiving the targeting information from the Hyperions in orbit of the Wolfhound station.

"Avenger One to Hyperion, come in."

"This is Hyperion Go."

"Hyperion, fighter wings are Bingo for telemetry, we have negative, repeat negative targeting solutions for enemy ships."

"Avenger, Hyperion, roger that. The systems are ineffective at your distance, repeat systems are ineffective at your distance. Pull back to fleet we have to let them come to us."

"Roger that Hyperion, all wings incoming."

Wolfhound Command station  
Tactical Situation room.

"What the hell is going on?"

"Sir, the Hyperion and Agamemnon are reporting degradation in targeting solutions. The fleet is pulling back until we can get the SWACS fully operational."

"What's wrong with them?"

"Sir, the scanner system refits are not designed for the ships they are aboard. The scanners while capable of seeing them are unreliable at range. We're lucky to even see them at mid ranges."

"Meaning we can only use co-ordinated fire against the Minbari once we are in their weapons range."

"Yes, Sir."

"Dammit, contact all ships have hem pull back and bring up the Agamemnon. We'll have to try something else."

"Aye, Sir."

The Hyperion broke ranks with the other ships in the fleet and increased speed to travel the distance quickly. They passed the incoming human ships as they pulled back away from the encroaching Minbari ships.

The plan was simple, while the Agamemnon could see the ships to an extent it was all but impossible to get an accurate lock at range. The Agamemnon would stand well ahead of the fleet in front of the Minbari. The Hyperion would be able to see the Minbari ships while the bulk of the force was still out of range. Tied into the other Hyperion's scanner systems they would be able to see the Minbari ships at the same range as the Achilles if not the sensitivity of said scanners.

This left the two sides equal in scanning range and would allow both sides to combat on an equal footing, but it was more than clear to the Agamemnon's crew that this was a one way trip. They would not be able to get away from the incoming Minbari fire without taking immense damage or even destruction by the Minbari ships.

EAS Agamemnon  
Hyperion Class Warship  
Wolf 359 Picket ship

"Agamemnon to Wolfhound, we have Minbari on visual, taking evasive action."

"Wolfhound to Agamemnon, Roger that. We have telemetry to all ships we can see them- good luck."

"Thanks Wolfhound, Out."

"Sir, we are in range of their weapons, and our own."

"Keep evasive. Don't try to hit them unless we have no choice. It's unlikely but if we keep well away they may leave us alone- it's the best bet for the fleet."

"We'll try, Sir."

A new voice from behind spoke up.

"SIR, we have two Tinashi's breaking off. One's heading out system and the others headed for us."

"Time to interception?"

"Three minutes."

"Ready all weapons, safeties off the nukes. Let's try to slow them down."

"Sir, message from fleet command the other ship's going after the Hephestion. Sir, they won't know its coming."

"Can we break through the jamming?"

"Negative Sir, only close range is available. The Hephestion was on system scouting duties and may be out of close range comms."

"Sir, we have Starfury squadrons coming into range, slightly behind us and accelerating."

"What?"

"They are readying an Alpha strike Sir. Minbari ships are launching fighters in response."

"Target the enemy escorts and feed the information to the fighters."

"Fighters Launching Missiles Sir. Full Alpha strike reading four hundred plus missiles outbound for the Minbari ships."

"Minbari ships coming in."

"Keep scanner locks at all costs."

"INCOMING FIRE."

Minbari Council Chambers  
Religious Council Meeting Rooms  
Minbar

"Satai Delenn?"

The Minbari Satai looked to her side as a very young acolyte approached her.

"Yes, can I help you?"

"Satai, I have a message for you."

"Indeed" she asked. "What is it?"

"We have lost Contact with Anla'shok Na Lenonn and the Sha'mak."

"What happened?"

"We do not know. The Sha'mak transited to hyperspace near the Centauri border with the Earthers and we have not heard anything since. We were informed that if they became lost or just out of contact to inform you of what had happened. It has been four days since we heard from the ship by flyer sent to the Monastery close to the border."

"What has been the Centauri response to the loss of their ship?"

"With the Sha'mak in the area the Centauri did not choose to send more of their ships to find the 'Centauri Resplendent', however with the loss of the Sha'Mak the Centauri may send more ships to find out what has happened to either ship."

"Keep several ships on the border and let me know if the Centauri send any ships into the system or any place close."

"Yes Satai."

"Dispatch the Tre'mar, the She'mor and the Shaka'laka to those coordinates and report back."

"At once, Satai."

The Young Acolyte/Ranger left the chambers to see to his duties and to send on the orders from Delenn, the young Satai turned and sealer her doors and windows and lit a single lamp by her side for meditation.

Time dropped to a crawl as she felt the familiar presence behind her as they always seemed to appear.

"You heard the news?" she asked.

"Yes," the being said.

"Do you know what is happening?"

"Yes."

The Minbari turned around to see the imposing figure of her guardian figure, a Vorlon.

"Then what is happening, are we in danger from these newcomers?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"All has changed, the humans are much more than they once were."

"They are fighting back with help from other humans from another place."

"Another space," the Vorlon corrected.

"Where?"

"A place far from here and close to our own."

"Who are they?"

"Newcomers, they have changed."

"Are they still important to the coming war?"

"Perhaps."

"What do we do?"

"Watch, and learn."

"Learn what?"

"Learn."

With that the Vorlon that once would have been known as Kosh Naranek disappeared into the shadows of the room and away from Delenn. Delenn turned from the figure and didn't flinch as she heard the door open and close allowing the Ancient being to leave the chambers.

"Learn?" she whispered into the darkness. She knew she would not sleep much that night, nor again until this war was finished- one way or another.

USAF Prometheus  
Achilles Rift  
Same time

The Prometheus' scanner systems watched as the immense Angelfish-shaped Minbari warship was brought under control by the four Ha'taks in the system; the ship was in bad condition.

Close up it was obvious that the Minbari ship had while been badly damaged, had come through better than the Centauri Cruiser had done. The ship was mostly intact with the fins and other protrusions been ripped off or melted into slabs of crystalline and metal. The hull was mostly intact with scorch marks and burns dotted across its surface.

The massive ship must have been much more capable than the Centauri ship to have survived the passage in operational order. The ship's systems seemed to be offline allowing the human ship to scan the Sharlin inside and out without interruption.

All around the vessel, cargo ships were approaching from the five allied ships in the system. United States Marines and Free Jaffa warriors were geared up to take the ship by force if necessary- or simply to defend the first air and relief teams from the Prometheus and the Jaffa ships.

"Sir, the first of the Cargo ships is approaching the Minbari, the cloaking device and defensive fields are down- we should have no problem transporting aboard."

"Thank you Colonel," said O'Neill. "What about our Centauri Translators?"

"Lt Mollari and his team are aboard the first transport they will ring aboard with the jaffa parties. Once the area is secured the medical staff will transport aboard. From what we know, the Minbari way take offence at the Jaffa as well as our own people."

"Armament?"

"All teams are fully equipped with Zat Guns, a few have staff weapons or pistols, we hope to knock them down with the Zats but, we're not sure what effect they will have if any hence the other weapons."

"Keep me updated Colonel. I'll be in the mess hall."

"Aye, Sir."

The General left the bridge and headed towards the interior of the ship. Inside the hall a few off duty officers and crewmen were eating while to one side the food was laid out by the kitchen staff. One table to filled with two plates with one much smaller than the other, unsurprisingly Jack knew exactly who it was.

"Carter, T."

"Sir."

"O'Neill'

"How's things going up there, Sir?" Carter queried.

"The Jaffa are ringing aboard as we speak," he answered. "With luck we shouldn't have too many problems, considering what we saw on the Centauri's ship."

"Should we not be assisting them O'Neill?"

"Not yet, Teal'c we know they hate humans although they may be friendly enough to Jaffa as your another alien race. It might be bad enough with the medical teams we've sent over, Daniel's gone over, too. One of these days he's gonna get killed- permanently."

"I don't think he's in that much trouble Sir. He is covered by a legion of Jaffa and marines."

"Marines, right; like they know what end of a gun to hold."

"Your not still sore at them, Sir?"

"Not much."

"Sir, you are responsible for what happened as much as them."

"I know that…"

"Sir, it was only a Simpsons episode."

"Only a Simpsons Episode? Do you know what a classic the Stonecutters episode is?"

"Sir, it was an accident, let it go.

"Alright, Alright, Teal'c what are your thoughts on these Minbari from what we've been told by the Centauri?"

"They seem to be capable warriors but like my own people. However they seem to be ruled by an honour system unlike that of any I have encountered. Their current attempt at destruction of an entire race because of the death of a single being is illogical at best and murderous at worst."

"Carter?"

"I agree with Teal'c Sir, These Minbari are trying to kill every human they find. If they find the Achilles and find out about our Earth and the humans of this galaxy we could be facing another war."

"For crying out loud, we've just busted the Replicators and the Snakes and now we got some psycho-quasi-religious fruitcakes that may try to start a war of extinction of all humans. Well lets just hope if they do find the rift they don't find a way through without crippling their own ships."

"Well without shields on a par with any of our ships, they can't, Sir."

"Good. We need to know if our ships can go through the rift while shielded. I want the two of you to grab a shielded Al'kesh from the Jaffa and see if you can get it through the Rift intact."

"The Al'kesh shields are more powerful than the energy fields around the Minbari ship, it should hold."

"Check it anyway and see if we need to make modifications to the shields."

"Aye Sir."

"General O'Neill to the Bridge."

"I just came from there," O'Neill moaned.

"The perks of being a Senior Officer, Sir?"

"Shut up, Carter."

O'Neill strode out of the cafeteria mumbling about 'no chicken sandwiches and never time for lunch' and always 'damned well work'. His quick march brought him to the bridge within a few seconds.

"Ronson."

"Sorry to call you back General, but we've just received a communication from the SGC. The request has been approved. As soon as we make sure that all our ships are capable of it, the Prometheus and our Jaffa Allies are cleared to go through the rift.


	28. Chapter 25

This is a very auspicious occasion for me, the end of this chapter had brought the total Unbeta'd version of Consequences of Actions to over one full megabyte of text after nine months of writing this story. Consequently this chapter is longer and more involved than usual, hope you like it.

This is the first time I have ever written a story that has ever made it to this amount of data and I'm very happy that people have been friendly and supportive enough to make me want to write this.

So thanks to Skeet/AlbertG, Spartan, Tyr, Chris O'Farrell, Ed Beccara, Lightning Count, Inquisitor, Urgo, Hyperion and anyone else from Spacebattles that have supported me in this endeavour.

**Next Stop TEN THOUSAND WORDS.(hopefully within next few chapters)**

**Chapter 25**

"**Ooh shit.. Umm. Hide!"**

**Secure Docking station**

**EA Space Station One**

**Earth Orbit**

**Earth Alliance**

The Achilles settled into a parking orbit close to the station. The area was busy much busier than the docks around Io station or Beta Durani, fighters, shuttles tugs and small warships flitted around the massive construct looming over them. Like all Alliance battle stations the station was made up of a trio of immense wheel-shaped O'Neill Class habitats.

The surrounding area was clear of anything above the size of an Olympus. However the station and surrounding orbit was encased in a layer of Orbital Satellite Weapons systems known as the GOD system. That was something many aboard figured could be of serious use in their own universe.

"What are you reading on those things?"

Davis looked over the scans from the sensor station, the Global Orbital Defense satellite systems were in no way covered by ECM systems to even remotely confuse enemy scans. Given the sensitivity and range of Minbari weapons and scanners this was an obvious way to make them cheaper and easier to make in large amounts- something that would be necessary for the Inner colonies as the Minbari got closer.

"Very Heavy form of Plasma Cannon, mid range but very powerful- possibly enough to damage our own shields. Nuclear and heavy explosive missiles in multiple ranks on port and starboard sides of the main cannon plus a pair of smaller pulse cannons, possibly for anti fighter or ordinance work. Colonel these things could cripple a Ha'tak in a single volley."

"I have got to be me one of these," Murmured on of the ship's pilots as he cracked a grin at his cohort.

"Hold your course Lt," said Taylor as she looked at the information covering the screens,

"Your right however. These would be of use for planetary defences back home. A few upgrades and we'd be able to hit incoming ships before they got near us. Anything else Major?"

"There are several hundred in Orbit several layers deep and it seems more are under construction," he frowned slightly. "That's odd."

"Major?"

"Some of these weapons sats are more powerful and up to date. Some seem to hold railguns and sensor systems, our own technology aboard their satellites. There also seem to be some with heavier pulse and laser weapons. Not Many however but enough."

"With luck they will be effective against the Minbari if they get this far."

"I believe they will be."

"Sir?" the helmsman interrupted. We're getting a beacon. We've got clearance to dock straight ahead, looks big too."

"Major?"

"Heavily armoured and defended Sir, looks like they are pulling out the stops for us."

"How so?"

"Because from these readings this is the Presidential docking bay and the President's ship is in the dock as well. Sir, the dock isn't part of the main structure, the bay won't have gravity as it's not spinning."

The docking port ahead of them was well lit and while large and cavernous was also heavily armoured and defended by an assortment of ships including a full squadron of Starfuries at strategic points in the area. Inside the main dock a large stationary spaceship painted blue and white sat to one side a docking platform and lift next to it, a second docking port sat on the other side of the platform.

Getting closer it was possible to see that the ship was a highly modified Nova class warship. However it was unarmed except for twice the usual amount of interceptors and an expanded fighter bay. On the side it was possible to read the legend- Earthforce One.

"Presidential transport alright, a modified warship as well."

"Slightly safer than a civilian model, I'd think," said Davis. "We've being waved in,Sir."

"Very well." She hit a switch on her chair. "All hands this is the Captain, report to docking stations, repeat all hands to docking stations. Helm take us in."

"Aye, Sir."

The Achilles main engines shut down allowing the smaller reaction thrusters across the hull to bring it into a straight line with the main dock allowing the ship an easy dock with the facility. A quad of vacuum sealed tubes pushed out from the dock as the main doors to the bay slammed shut sending a slight shudder throughout the ship and the docking facilities it was attached to.

"Sir, the bay is zero gravity and I'm not reading atmosphere- this isn't a drydock Sir."

"Thank you. Scanners, Major?"

"All airlocks are pressurised Colonel, airlocks on their side are opened and are awaiting out own."

"Open the main locks but keep the others shut for the moment," replied Taylor

"Aye, Sir."

"Well Major let's go and say howdy to our hosts."

"Aye, Sir." He smiled slightly.

On the other side of the platform a half dozen security officers were suspended in mid air as they awaited the arrival of the Ship's officers. Looking up at the ship's airlock they saw the Achilles' main lower airlock open up allowing four crewmembers to leave the ship.

"Permission to come aboard," said a male voice.

"Permission granted Sir, please come through." The guard looked at his PDA to check the faces of the officers coming through. "Major Davis, I'm Lt Connelly welcome to Earth Station One."

"Thank you Lt, this is Colonel Taylor Ship's Commander and Sgts Thomson and Gardiner ship's Marine Contingent."

"Sir, Sgts, please come with me the President is expecting you."

"Thank you," Davis responded.

The four Achilles crewmembers were escorted by the security team to a lift. Strapping down they were warned that they would soon enter a positive gravity situation as they passed from the main dock to the rotating wheel of the station.

Awaiting the team as they moved through were a large congregation of troops and civilians awaiting their arrival. The lift ceased movement as it slipped into the rotating wheel of the station and came to a stop at a large airlock in front of the assembled group.

"Now Arriving, Colonel Joanna Davis, United States Air Force, Major Paul Davis, United States Air Force and military escort."

A Midshipman Piped the Two officers aboard. "Ladies and Gentlemen, President Marie Crane, president of the Earth Alliance." A petite brown haired woman approached the Air force officers, an aura of power and an obvious weariness surrounded her.

"Colonel It's nice to meet you at last. Welcome to the Earth Alliance."

"Madam President," Joanna replied.

"Please walk this way."

"I'm sorry it's taken so long for us to finally get to Earth to meet with you Ma'am," Davis Said as they walked alongside the President and her staff.

"That's quite alright Major, I'm aware of your help against the Minbari at Beta Durani and your stopover at Io Station. I have already met with your pilot Lt Silverston when he came to Earth but it is still nice to meet you both and I look forward to seeing others of your crew."

"If you would like Madam President, we will be able to show you around the Achilles once everything is on order here. Major Davis will be our liaison to the Earth Alliance when we start negotiations. I'm sure he would be willing to help you out."

"Of course, Colonel Madam President."

"Thank you both."

The combined members of the Achilles crew, the guards and the members of the Earth Senate walked through the main concourse into the station proper. Little small talk was exchanged between the two factions as they walked past a series of massive view ports, both Davis and Taylor slowed a little to see the view.

"It's still impressive even now," The man next to the president said, a Senator Santiago if Taylor remembered correctly. "I've been coming and going from earth for twenty years Colonel and I still sometimes just like to stand and watch."

"My apologies Senator I just wasn't expecting this view," she replied. "We don't have a space station like this back home, we only see through the viewports or the monitors, it's quite startling."

They turned away and rejoined their escort unabashed at their actions. The President nodded to both having done so herself a number of times, the rest of the journey was quiet and uneventful as they made their way to the meeting rooms.

Briefing Room 3

Presidential offices

EA Station One

The briefing room had obviously been rearranged from its original set up to allow the room to be used for a presidential reception. A groups of tables were set up along the side of the room where all kinds of drinks and food were set up from basic human finger foods to wines and beers, to foreign delicacies such as Centauri Bravari and strangely enough a large tray of Swedish Meatballs.

The room was host to human diplomats, guards and most unlikely, a contingent of Narn warriors and Centauri diplomats sat in two opposite sides of the room separated by the massed human contingent from the Alliance and the outer colonies.

"Colonel, Major; welcome to the Earth Alliance," the President spoke. "I apologise for the overly extravagant reception however we couldn't persuade the Centauri and Narn to leave you alone," she said _Sotto Voice. _"However please come in and meet the diplomatic parties, the sooner it's over the better."

"Yes Ma'am," grinned the Colonel.

The first stop had been to the main tables where the two officers were able to get their hands on a pair of drinks. They knew before this was over they may need more than the bottles they had to hand. The two Sgts left their charges and retreated to the edges of the room next to their cohorts from the other powers having had to give up their side arms at the door much as everyone else had had to.

Funny thing with Marines is that even after having their firearms taken from them by the Alliance Secret Service, they stood by ready to fight off the others in the room if necessary. No marine is ever unarmed and these men were no different it's only that the two of them still had a multitude of hand weapons about their persons.

"Ahh Madam President, it is good to see you again. These must be the newcomers, yes?"

"Indeed Ambassador Mollari. Allow me to introduce you to Colonel Joanna Taylor and Major Paul Davis of the Air Force Vessel Achilles."

"Ambassador." Davis Nodded.

"Ambassador," said Taylor, a second later.

"On behalf of the Centauri Republic, welcome to this area of space."

"Thank you, Sir," said Davis. "We believe that the Centauri are responsible for the ability of the humans of this area of space to explore space."

"Yes Indeed, your friends the humans were thought to be an older and lost planet belonging to the Centauri. We were wrong, however, it allowed us to make new friends and allies that we need. Humans are an interesting species, yes?"

"I like to think so. Being human myself I think we're interesting."

"Yes I heard that you and your ship are human built. However where exactly are you from?"

"I'm not sure myself Ambassador, we got lost while in hyperspace and we came out near Earth Alliance Space, then something strange happened. We were attacked seconds after coming out of hyperspace by the Minbari- they've attacked us several times for no real reason."

"Yes they do seem to have something against all humans, no matter where they are from," said a new voice.

"Colonel, Major, this is G'Kar of the Narn Kah'Ri, Ambassador to the Earth Alliance."

"Greetings to you both. We have heard much of your exploits here even out in the Narn Regime it is impressive that you have been so willing to help your fellow humans against an enemy that you know nothing about." G'Kar grinned widely. "Indeed, it is the talk of the entire League of Non-Aligned worlds as well as the other major powers all across the surrounding sectors."

"We were attacked for no reason except we're human Ambassador, and the old human adage is 'My enemy's enemy is my friend'. The Alliance helped us and in return we helped them with what they needed which was an ally against the Minbari . Simple as that," Taylor Said.

"Gentlemen please, let's let the good Colonel and a Major meet the others first. you will have a chance to interrogate them later ok?" The President smiled. "Your attachés will have to get in contact with Earthdome however I'm sure it won't be a problem."

"It should be fine," replied Davis

"Thank you both."

The two men merely bowed to the three human representatives and walked away to their own groups, the Centauri speedily making his departure to the amusement of the Narn.

"Sorry about that," Crane Said.

"No problem Madam President, we're used to it by now."

"Really?"

"Yes, and it doesn't get any easier," Taylor said. "For Paul more so than me."

"Major?"

"I was formally with the pentagon staff attached to a highly classified project as a liaison. As such I was responsible for a great many receptions and information gathering proceedings involving the project and those races and cultures we came into contact with. Some were harder and some were easier."

"I'm not surprised, diplomacy can be a cruel game. I'm surprised they allowed such a useful officer to transfer to an operational ship."

"The Achilles was on her shakedown cruise. Several of the crew are there just for that shakedown, I was one of them. Once we return I'll be retransferred to the Pentagon and back to by former post."

"That is a shame. The Achilles seems like a fine vessel."

"She is, however my rank and posting precludes me from commanding a vessel at this point in time. There are several command level officers ahead of me in the line for all the ships in the fleet."

"Madam Presiden," a Voice interrupted. "My apologies for interrupting, we require your presence at Command and Control," a tall middle aged staff officer spoke to the president. "Please come this way."

"Sorry about this Colonel, Major."

"Quite alright Madam President." Taylor nodded and smiled back. The President smiled back and left the room quickly on the heels of the staff officer.

"Excuse me Colonel." The two turned around to see another Senator behind them. "I don't believe we've been introduced, Senator Morgan Clark, nice to meet you both."

The two Officers nodded and shook the hand of the officious Senator all the while the fighter pilot's debriefing come into mind about the officials he had met while on the planet's surface none had stuck into their mind more so than the report about this man. The erstwhile Lt had not trusted this man one inch during his meeting. The fact that the man had had several others in the room with him while the Lt was talking with him made the pilot much more uncomfortable than he should have been. The belief that the Senator had had several of these so called Psi-Corps officers around him had made the Lt take care with anything he said or thought, although the fact the telepath had run from the room throwing up and bleeding had been an interesting view for the pilot. Even more so was the look that crossed the face of the Senator and his aide at that reaction by the telepath, a look that would have been missed by most people.

"Senator, nice to meet you. Lt Silverston asked us to inquire about a young lady who was taken ill during his tour here a few days ago."

Something flickered in the Senator's eyes but his face stayed still, something that did not go unnoticed by the keen eyes of the Air force officers.

"She is quite well," Clark announced. "The poor dear has been ill lately some form of brain disease that is fortunately non transferable. I'm keeping her on until she is able to function once more, allowing her to work to keep herself occupied. I shall inform her that the Lt has been asking about her, I believe she will be delighted."

"Thank you Senator. That is kind of you in both cases." Davis ever the Diplomat.

"That is quite alright Major, it is the least I can do for people that have served me so well for so long, excuse me." The Ssenator walked away the smile slipping off as he turned away from the guests and walked out of the main door."

"Joanna, one of these days your mouth is going to get us both in trouble."

"From that guy? He's harmless."

**Earthforce Situation room**

**EA Station One**

**Earth Orbit**

**Several minutes later**

The Situation room was a massive construct taking up close to a half square kilometer of station surface. The room was the orbital section of EarthForce's deployment and tactical suite linked directly with the suites in Geneva and Proxima at all times. Hundreds of crewmen and officers sat or stood at their stations on all sides co-ordinating with their opposites at the other sites.

Above them along one wall stood a situational map that showed the full extent of EarthForce ships and stations across the entire Alliance and beyond. As of now, along three quarters of the map thick blue lines intersected red lines and large white symbols of the Earth Alliance.

The Alliance was under siege.

"General Tobias."

"Madam President."

"Well, this doesn't look good."

"No Ma'am. According to reports from all forward sectors the Minbari have launched an offensive all along our lines. All of our Mid- range bases are under attack and the task forces and smaller colonies along the front lines are under fire."

The board changed as numbers of ships along those lines were added to the count. Hundreds of Sharlins had been counted, while over a thousand other ships were in position around them all along the lines.

Some areas were devoid of Sharlin or other heavy warships allowing the Alliance ships to wipe them out with few losses, thanks to the weapons and scanner systems developed from the Achilles' technology.

"What is the status of all Alliance forces?"

"Every active forward fleet is on the lines. We've scattered forces around the Alliance, task forces working up or in transfer and those under refit for battle damage or upgrades."

"How many have the upgrades?"

"Every Station bar Wolf 359 has been upgraded to the new specs and thirty percent of all ships have the ability to see the enemy ships. However the Minbari outnumber our vessels by two to one and the Swacs are not as useful as anticipated. We've barely the ships to hold."

"What about the inner systems defence fleets?"

"We've dispatched elements from the inner fleets and the League borders. It's unlikely that we'll have any problems from that quarter while the Minbari are on the move. We've been unable to remove ships from the Ch'lonas Border however due to intermittent attacks from that side of the Alliance."

"What's on that border?"

"Mostly older ships, Tethys, Avengers, massive wings of Nova Starfuries and first run Hyperions, anything we could scrounge out of the boneyards at Proxima."

The screen changed to the areas of space where the alliance borders mixed with that of the Ch'lonas Imperium and Koulani Directorate. Where there was once large concentrations of new and powerful Earthforce warships now sat small streams of aging warships, many on their last legs.

"What is the condition of the Home Fleet?"

"By orders of Earthdome the Fleet is still intact just awaiting orders."

The President looked at the boards reading their numbers as the Minbari ship's made further inroads into the Alliance territory. They needed help and needed it quickly. As the President, she had the power to make decisions that many would not make and others would not like. In this instance she believed was right on both counts.

"Send them."

"Ma'am."

"There are over two hundred ships sitting in the Inner colonies doing nothing. I know that many want to fight to stop the Minbari and I'm letting them. Send the Sol fleet and anything else you can from both Sol and Proxima. We have to hold the Minbari back.

"Yes Ma'am," the General said satisfied at the President's answer. "Lt, send a message to EAS Lexington, You are a go, all ships are cleared for departure."

"Aye, Sir."

The President looked at the General with a slight smirk on her face and her arms folded, Tobias just looked back at her.

"You knew what I was going to do, didn't you?"

"I guessed ,Madam President, that's all." He shrugged.

The conversation was interrupted by a call from one of the command centre's communications areas. A young Ensign probably straight from the Academy was stood up looking at them.

"Sir, we're receiving communications from Task Force Galapagos at Beta Durani."

"Put it on."

"This is the EAS Nautilus to Earthforce command do you read?"

"This is Earth Station one, Go ahead," the Ensign replied.

"Sir the Minbari are hitting us hard. We've lost the outer defence stations and a third of the fleet. The Minbari aren't holding back this time Command."

"Captain Smith, this is General Tobias, where is General Hague?"

"Durani station has lost communications Sir, combination of damage and those damned Minbari jammers we're barely transmitting ourselves."

"Captain Smith this is The President. Can you hold them?"

"Ma'am, it's possible. They are taking a hell of a lot more casualties than we are at the moment. The fixed defences are holding them at bay, however the SWACS is losing effectiveness across the fleet. Sir, our systems just aren't holding the locks like the Achilles did."

"Keep them back Captain. Three Task forces have been dispatched to Durani sector they will be their in thirteen hours."

"We'll try Sir, Nautilus out."

**EAS Nautilus**

**Beta Durani Task force**

**Beta Durani**

**Same time**

The ship rocked as a fusion blast pierced a Starfury that was in turn chasing a Nial. Its own fire blew the enemy fighter apart even as the Sharlin killed it, the explosion of its reactor causing the much larger Nova to rock slightly. In retaliation the Nova let loose a full barrage from it's forward weapons into the main hull of the approaching leviathan,. The Plasma bursts burned through the hull and into the main ship itself causing hull breaches and atmospheric loss across the entire ship. Undeterred the Minbari let loose another blast from its nose mounted Neutron cannon hulling the Nova.

"We've a hull breach lower decks section thirteen through nineteen and twenty six."

"Seal them off; keep firing on that bastard."

"Weapons firing. Sir, interceptors are back online."

"Give that ship everything we have."

"Aye, Sir."

The plasma bolts and interceptor fire peppered the Minbari ship causing widespread damage and blowing off the forward weapons modules. The power already set to fire exploded, blowing the entire forward section of the Sharlin apart. The fighters from both sides surrounding the ship were caught by the explosion many being killed outright by the energy and radiation exposure.

"Sir?"

"Kill It."

Every weapon that could fire forward fired simultaneously in an alpha strike totally gutting the Minbari ship and blowing it apart. Its interceptors hammering into the fighters making a run on it's own fighter wing.

"Target destroyed. Two Minbari escort ships coming in."

"Where?"

"Port side, 224 mark 3."

"Ready weapons."

"Incoming fire."

"Interceptors."

While the interceptors were of immense use against all kinds of plasma and pulse weapons they were of lesser use against the Minbari fusion and Neutron weapons. However the constant fire in their area could freak the targeting scanners of even the Minbari ships, causing a loss of target lock.

"Enemy lock intercepted Sir. They are charging their fusion cannons."

"Target?"

"Targets locked, Sir."

"Fire."

The Minbari warships came in fast and hard at the Nova, one to a side both port and starboard. While the turreted plasma cannons aboard the Alliance ships could not move fast enough to accurately track the small ships, the newly Installed railguns were more than fast enough. Hidden from sight by the mass and energy readings of the reactors and firing chambers of the weapons systems dozens of small railguns bigger and much more potent than the Achilles based railguns swung into action.

Hundreds of rounds per second fired from the sides of the Nova class directly into the path of the fast paced Minbari escort ships, unable to move out of the way or simply caring more about killing the Nova class ship both Minbari ships were peppered by solid projectiles firing at close to half the speed of light.

Much like their brethren at the last battle of Beta Durani the ships shattered under fire. Their armour was seen to be breaking and shearing off into the void, opening up the internals of the small warships. More and more rounds penetrated into the inner hull blowing through the corridors and bulkheads and out the other side. The two ships simply came apart like a jigsaw falling out of its frame. The reactors exploded annihilating much of the debris as it rushed past the Nautilus.

"Minbari ships still coming Sir, heading for the main fleet concentration."

"Position."

"Position beta Sir, right in front of the docks."

Gotcha "Communications, contact the shipyards. Codeword is Breaker."

"Aye Sir. Dockyards responding Breaker, breaker."

The dockyards as a whole were made up of girders and piping. Sections such as airtight docks and pressurised personnel areas were also seen by the causal observer. The attack by the Minbari had sent the entire working population scattering to the station, or planetside. Usually these docks were completely defenceless and dedicated only to building ships. They relied on friendly ships, planetary and system defences to hold the enemy at bay keeping them away from the valuable and vulnerable docks and their ships under construction.

With the Dilgar and Minbari wars, it was decided to equip the docks with interceptors and standard particle beam weapons against the fighters that could and likely would penetrate this far into any Alliance command station. However because of the Minbari, alternate plans had been put together thanks to the newfound ability to see through to the Minbari and acquire target locks.

From more than two dozen berths plasma, pulse and missile fire ripped out from the darkened shipyards impacting against the Minabri warships. A second and third salvo followed from those same berths followed by streams of Starfuries and lastly two dozen half completed warships.

Nova Dreadnaughts, Hyperion Cruisers, and Olympus corvettes cruised out from their berths firing again and again into the surprised ranks of enemy ships. Amny of the enemy ships were crippled or outright destroyed. A huge amount of the Minbari's smaller units were cut in half.

The Minbari replied in kind. Their powerful fusion cannons oreinto the heavy armour of the Novas damaging several of the human ships while annihilating the smaller Corvettes and Cruisers.

"Breaker units are engaged sir, Reinforcements are coming from the fighter bays sir six squadrons of Starfuries all armed, Sir."

"Send them to the break units, they need more cover, Fleet Status?"

"Coming through now Sir, it's bad."

"How bad?" he asked.

"Initial estimates confirmed Sir. One third to half the fleet are disabled or destroyed. The entire outer defence perimeter is trashed as well. Reports are more than twenty of the largest of the fleetyards are destroyed with others damaged. The Breaker units are moving to reengage." The look on the Ensign's face changed. "SIR! They're after the Nova X docks."

The viewscreen on the Captain's console changed as he brought up a view from the ship's visual scanners. The view was grim as a half dozen heavy warships guarding the Nova Docks were annihilated by the encroaching Minbari ships.

"Dammit, Helm bring us around, all local ships congregate on the Nova X Docks. They can not be allowed to destroy those ships or the yards."

"Aye Sir, all ships responding."

The massive Nova Dreadnaught turned ponderously around, heading for the massed Minbari ships pushing towards the lightly defended Nova X yards and their precious cargoes. All around them Hyperions, Olympus class corvettes and Starfury squadrons formed up and attacked. From this range only the missiles from the smaller ships and the fighters could be sure of hitting the Minbari ships.

"Durani Station has locks on everything."

"All fighters break and attack."

A dozen Starfury squadrons broke ranks and went after the Minbari warships, missiles flashing from their fuselage crossing the distance in seconds and impacting across the flanks of a dozen ships. Railcannon and missile fires lanced from the Olympus Corvettes supporting the fighters.

Minbari Nials turned to intercept the numerous Starfuries and their escorting warships as they came in, the Nova X defences pouring what little fire they could into the forward units of the Minbari task force.

Missiles and projectiles impacted the Minbari from two sides as more and more of the smaller and faster ships charged towards the warcruisers and their escorts. Hundreds of rounds from railguns, pulse cannons and missile launchers were exchanged, many missing or being intercepted by the Minbari counterfire.

However the fire was massed enough to kill more than half of the smaller ships and cripple two of the massive warcruisers before the Sharlins could move out of the way. High explosive missiles blew holes in one cruiser's drive fins causing it to lose control and spin out of formation.

-Straight into the Nova X Docks.

"Oh my God." Captain Smith looked ashen as he saw the damage to crash had done to the Nova docks.

The lowermost of the six docks had been shattered by the collision. A partially completed ship was blown apart by the collision with the Minbari warship. The fins sheared off by the collision sliced open the third and forth docks crippling both ships and killing everyone inside the bays. By some luck or fortune the Minbari's main reactor did not explode in the collision leaving the rest of the complex intact albeit damaged by flying debris from the three damaged docks.

"Sir, the Minbari are disengaging from our lines. They've leaving."

"All ships you get a shot HIT THEM."

The Minbari ships pulled away more than half their number destroyed by the defences of the dockyards and the ships dedicated to it's defence. The retreating ships were attacked from behind and the front by ships that had already been out system when the attack began.

The crossfire killed more than half of the remaining Minbari attempting to escape causing more damage to the others in the fleeing group from debris and reactor explosions. Fighters attempted to draw fire from the incoming forces but were all but ignored by the larger ships, allowing the few remaining Starfury squadrons to take them on.

**Minbari Flagship Drala Fi**

**Refit Shargotti Warcruiser**

**Beta Durani Warfleet**

With the return of the Drala Fi after the failed attack against Beta Durani it was decided that the newest Shargotti off of the Worker's shipyards would be renamed in honour of the crippled warship. The refit warship was a redesign dedicated to the oncoming war against the shadows and their thralls, much like the war refit Sharlins that had become a staple in the Minbari battlefleets over the course of the War against the Earthers. Now this Shargotti refit was to replace those heavy warships already in service either by new builds, or by a full refit after the end of the War.

Now for the second time, a Drala Fi was forced to run from an outnumbered and inferior force of Earth ships. Their losses were just too great to have anything more than a Pyrrhic victory against the Earthers.

"All ships retreat."

The Shai Alyt of the Drala Fi had replaced his Satai as the ship's Commander. His forces were stronger and larger than those Sharonn had commanded those few weeks ago. However they were not enough, a great many more ships and defences had been erected around the Station and its forces. The surprise attack from the dockyards and from the ships in the outer system was something they had not expected and many of their best ships had been destroyed by the traitorous and dishonourable attack from those quarters. More ships had been lost from these actions and now there was little choice other than to escape with what forces he still could gather.

"Shai Alyt, Enemy ships are retreating."

"What?"

"They are pulling back, regrouping around their Shipyards and command station. Their fighters are also pulling back."

"They are letting us go," the Alyt said.

"Shai Alyt?" the XO asked.

"The humans are letting us retreat, allowing us to save our honour from our defeat."

"The humans do not know the concept of a Minbari's honour."

"Yet they let us leave. All ships pull back and ready to leave."

"Yes, Alyt."

"Communications, send a message to the Humans in their main language, tell them… Tell them. Thank you."

"Alyt."


	29. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

"Men instinctively know when a woman's had an orgasm, It's that look on their face when they get home."

**Wolfhound Command Station**

**Wolf 359 system**

**Orion Sector**

**During the battle.**

The Minbari war fleet was heavier than anticipated as a dozen more capital ships jumped from the depths of hyperspace into the system. Already half of the fighter squadrons had been destroyed by the massed fighter support and long range anti fighter weapons of the Minbari ships. The few that had gotten off their missile strikes had pulled back and away to defend the single picket ship trying to stay alive.

The single Hyperion class ship was the only hope for the massed ships of the Wolf 359 defensive force. The Minbari were closing in on them and only the long range tactical abilities of the Hyperion's SWACS would help them. Unfortunately the small cruiser was under constant attack from all sides as it tried to lock onto the incoming Minbari forces from the very limits of its range, something all but impossible as it was forced time and again to retreat from the incoming warships.

"General, the Agamemnon's under attack, its scanner systems are dropping off. The fleet's losing their locks on the Minbari ships."

"Dispatch the reserve Starfury wings and any available escort units – take down those Tinashis."

"Aye, Sir."

From the Station's own defensive wing, forty fighters and a handful of other ships broke ranks and sped off in an attempt to intercept the incoming Minbari ships heading after the Agamemnon. In return the Minbari launched against the remaining ships of the defence force, punching their way through the light units at the very fore of the Alliance warships. Fighters started to mix it up as Nials and Starfuries collided in swarms Fusion beams and Plasma pulses shattering or melting through armour on either side.

Dozens of fighters from the Minbari ranks pierced the massed ranks of fighters and warships and headed for the Station and its meagre, massively reduced defence systems. All around them Interceptors, Particle beams and large calibre railguns- a weapons system long thought to be an anachronism in this day and age that was still in use on the older stations of the Alliance, hit the enemy.

The railguns spat large calibre explosive shells equivalent to old style 'flak' batteries from centuries before in an attempt to stave off the incoming fighter waves. Energy and projectile fire crossed in mid space impacting on fighters from both sides and smashing into the thick armour of the Station's main hull.

"Armour damaged, no hull breaches detected, Sir."

"Continue firing, bring the missile bays online," ordered the Station's Commander.

"Aye, Sir."

"Commander Enemy ships are incoming they've broken through the fleet. Our ships are regrouping to attack."

"Missiles ready, Sir."

"Fire."

The remaining nuclear missiles in the Station's silos launched from their platforms as did a dozen smaller conventional missiles launch at the same time to confuse the Minbari tracking systems. The twelve explosive missiles and their two fifty megaton stablemates took only seconds to cross the gap between Wolfhound and the incoming Minbari ships. Several of the missiles were destroyed by the Minbari counter fire, but not enough to stop the dual nuclear warheads.

The two missiles detonated point blank with the forward units of the Minbari fleet. A half dozen already damaged ships and a pair of Minbari Sharlins was blown apart by the massive shockwaves that smashed into them. Several fighters from either side went out of control and exploded as the EMP overloaded their hardened systems and ignited their reactors.

"Seven enemy ships destroyed; the rest are still incoming."

"Numbers?"

"Twenty six Minbari vessels still approaching, our ships are engaging. Sir, the Agamemnon's been cleared, her attackers are downed."

"Good work. Have them rejoin the main fleet."

"Aye, Sir."

A third voice spoke up. "Sir the Minbari are pulling back."

The Minbari ships broke off their attack as plasma and laser fire started to erupt from the Station as they neared the perimeter. More fire poured from the ships of the defensive force some hits managing to do damage before the small ships were destroyed by neutron fire from the Minbari's main weapons arrays.

**Shala Fi (Red Star)**

**Sharlin War Refit.**

The massive refit Sharlin had been transferred from the sectors surrounding the Beta Durani battles to command the remnants of the fleet attacking the human outpost at Wolf 359. Already the fleet had been able to make inroads into the human space that the last commander had been unable to do. Human outposts and ships were being easily destroyed by their forces.

"Alyt we are in range of the Earther's station, we are taking damage and heavy losses from their weapons systems."

"Very well, have all ships ready heavy cannons."

"Yes Alyt."

Energy ratings from the twelve ships that could be seen by the EarthForce ships went through the roof as the forward most areas of the Sharlins started to glow slightly. The ships were armed with a heavy weapon that could be of immense damage to any ship of station undefended by energy shielding.

"Accelerators are Ready, Alyt."

"All ships forward, escorts are to clear the path immediately. Once in range all ships will fire."

"Yes, Alyt."

The Minbari Phalanx returned to the battle as their smaller ships and fighter wings attacked time and again stripping the station of its defences. The Earther fighters went down hard and fast as the more advanced Nials ripped them apart. The smaller ships were hit by multiple flanks as the Minbari escorts slammed into them.

The Earth ships responded in anger as they entered their own range, the two SWACS ships giving them perfect targeting at this range allowing their heaviest weapons to cripple enemy ships and rip holes into intact ships.

The Sharlins however responded showing the humans why they were still seen as the most feared warship in the known galaxy. Fusion cannon and neutron fire reach out and gutted a trio of Novas that had peppered them with heavy plasma fire. Six smaller ships were cut into pieces as they approached firing their own weapons- ineffectual against the thick crystalline armour.

**Starfury Alpha One.**

**Defence force Squadron Alpha**

"Alpha one to all fighters, pull out and regroup with the Hyperion. Anyone with missiles, ready them for full launch ASAP."

Acknowledgements came from the squadron leaders as their depleted ranks broke from the melee and headed to the defence perimeter of the station. Dozens of small fighters had already been destroyed with many more crippled or disabled all across the battlefield. Only a few dozen fighters made it to the rendezvous, some giving up their lives to allow the intact and armed Starfuries time to get to the station. In the process they often took at least one Nial with them.

"Alpha one this is Gamma Three, Sir we're reading more Minbari fighters coming in. They've seen us."

"Understood. All fighters ready missile launch, fire everything you've got people we need to take those fighters down."

"Alpha One, Mu Three. My squadron are still armed with anti-ship missiles. They won't be of use against these fighters."

"Hold in reserve then, if we need to be ready to hit anything that comes our way."

"Aye, Sir."

"We have incoming."

"Alpha One to Hyperion."

"We read you Alpha one. We've been listening in. All scans are being transferred. We have the entire wing on our screens. Fire when ready."

"Thank you Hyperion – all fighters lock in and fire."

As a reply seventy fighters launched what missiles they had remaining as an equivalent of an Alpha strike. In all over one hundred twenty missiles were mass fired at the Minbari fighters. Most fighters took two or three missiles strikes each blowing them apart, their sensor sheaths now compromised by the Hyperion's powerful scanner systems.

The surviving Minbari fighters made it through the conflagration and concentrated their own fire on the rapidly moving Starfuries taking down more of their number from longer ranges than the Furies could. Fusion fire raked the fighters and defence posts in the area moving out the way of much or the incoming fire. Interceptors and pulse cannons were ripped apart all around them as the Nial squadrons attacked the station again and again, the slower and less powerful human weapons all but useless compared to the weapons aboard the fighters.

In amongst all this the human ships while outgunned still outnumbered the dwindling numbers of Minbari capital ships. However the losses taken by the humans massively outweighed those taken by the Minbari. Dozens of ships off all configurations were burning or shredded by the Minbari beams or missiles. More were cut down as the massive blue coloured ships fired again and again into the thick armour of the human ships.

The ships attacked again from behind and from the left flank but it was by now too late. Even though the Minbari ships were in range of the station's weapons the fire from the damaged station was just not enough to stop the vessels from encroaching. With more and more weapons stripped by Minbari fighter cover the twelve ships of the core fleet entered killing range.

Almost as one twelve antimatter cannons on the very fore of the Sharlins opened fire from the very limits of their range. The range was much less than that of the longer ranged neutron weapons but this meant little to the humans aboard the station and the numerous ships around it.

Twelve charges of pure antimatter impacted upon the twin constructs that made up the EarthForce station, the impacts were massive as the pure antimatter annihilated the matter that it came into contact with. Hundreds of megatons exploded outwards from every impact on the station causing energy grids to rupture and the station itself to splinter as the spinning motion pulled it apart. The explosions of the energy grid, the weapons systems and the atmospheric systems blew the rest of the station apart before the antimatter was even finished annihilating itself against the human outpost.

Chunks of the station flew off from the explosions, one massive section cutting through the rear end of the Hyperion disabling the ship and causing it to turn in space. The Minbari took advantage of the chaos of the explosion to turn on the outnumbering Earth ships of which many had lost the ability to even see the Minbari ships with the Loss of the Hyperion.

The Agamemnon was the only remaining ship capable of seeing the Minbari ships but for them this made them much more of a target than the other ships were. The other ships around them were the few that could see the Minbari coming down on them hard. The remaining enemy ships could be seen cutting the EarthForce ships apart while their crews attempted to reacquire the Agamemnon's signals from the mass of comm. Signals, jamming and EM were scrambled from the antimatter explosions.

On the bridge of the Agamemnon the crew could see another three of their biggest Novas blown apart within seconds of each other, the third managing to ram their persecutor and send them tumbling out of control into the remains of several EarthForce cruisers, causing the Sharlin to explode taking a few shuttles and their escorting fighters.

"Communication, send to all ships." The Agamemnon's Commander ordered. "All ships evacuate, head for the inner colonies as fast as possible repeat all ships retreat."

"Aye Sir," the Communications officer said. "Sir Message from Hephestion coming in."

"To my station," the Russian man responded.

"Captain, the Hephestion will stay behind and try to…"

"Negative, Captain. I know what you're thinking and we need every ship if we're going to return to the Inner Colonies." The ship rocked as another burst of fire narrowly missed the twisting Hyperion cruiser. "All ships are to retreat."

The scene outside the ship turned to immense brightness as the Nova Dreadnaught Miranda exploded, its fuel cells exploding as a dual blast from a Llindra escort pierced its engine block and ignited it. The ship's structure coming apart as the explosion consumed the rest of the ship leaving no survivors.

The escort took a half dozen hits from the surrounding Starfuries breaking it into pieces as the pulse weapons shattered it's armour and pierced into it's interior. The fighters veered off before the closest fight of Nials could find them.

"Sir, the Colony on the planet?"

"The Minbari haven't been killing the civilians on the major planets as of yet. We'll be back Captain. It'll just take time."

"Aye Sir."

The screen changed to its usual blank state.

"Sir, all ships are pulling out. I'm reading jump points opening."

"Get us out of here."

"Aye Sir, jumping."

The Agamemnon formed up with the Hephestion and the remnants of its escorts for the jump. All around them other cruisers and Escorts escaped from the oncoming Minbari assisted by the forces that had been guarding the back side of the station.

A little under half of the system's personnel and ships had survived the attack and the evacuation. The planet's personnel and civilians hunkered down and awaited the inevitable arrival of the Minbari troops to their homes. Military Groundpounders, Colony Defence systems and civilian volunteers all armed to the teeth stood by and waited. However, unnoticed by the Minbari scans, a midnight black ship had been observing the whole time and with a slight flutter phased out of space and left the system.

**Anla'Shok Vessel Sha'mak**

**Sharlin Class Battle Refit**

**T – 3:00:00**

The personnel from the three closest ships had finally managed to stabilise the critically damaged Minbari ship, the crew much like the Centauri had to a man been injured in some way. Entire areas of the ship had been vented to space, mainly those close to the damaged hull fins. The ship itself was dark and it seemed that only the very basic of the Minbari ships back up systems were active.

The Jaffa and human cohorts had scattered throughout the mile long ship looking for survivors. Unlike the Centauri ship the Minbari's stronger construction had helped keep their crew alive and it didn't take long to find the first of the Minbari survivors.

"Kree Jaffa." One of the senior Jaffa crouched by the young looking alien, the alien's bone crest was shattered, a heavy piece of the bulkhead had obviously crashed into the alien and caused the damage. "He's alive, serious injuries to his head and extremities."

"Har'ac, contact the Tau'ri we need one of their medical teams here."

"At once."

"We have more here."

The Rest of the patrol looked into what must have been the barracks for some of the crew. All were dressed in a form of uniform. Light colours and cloaks were the norm for the alien crew. While some were armed with energy weapons, every single one of them was armed with some sort of cylindrical object, one that was found to expand after an unfortunate encounter between it and the head of one of the Jaffa. The crew seemed to be in better condition as a whole than the Centauri but considering the fact that many of the other crew had fallen Ill even after they had been recovered and treated this meant little to the Jaffa or their human companions.

"Patrol, one come in."

"This is Patrol one, go ahead."

"Status?"

"We have recovered a number of survivors, many more than came through on the Centauri ships. Other teams are combing the ship section by section; we may need to evacuate those that need help."

"We are having trouble keeping locks on many of the levels. Radiation and possible scattering fields are in effect; use caution."

"Affirmative."

"Four Tel'tecs will try to dock or cut through the hull. Be prepared to bring any injured to the shuttles."

"As ordered, Patrol one out."

"Prime, we have discovered a set of barracks, three shifts worth it appears. They are all dead; decompression killed them all before their internal systems sealed the breach."

"Damn."

"We have reports from all patrols. We have several hundred injured with more simply unconscious from the transfer."

"Have all of them brought to the main Cargo bay, The Tel'tacs are attempting to dock with the airlocks and all the injured will be taken to the other ships. If you find anyone awake or lucid bring them to the bay as well, the humans have set up a command post."

"Yes, Prime."

**USAF Prometheus**

**Achilles Rift**

**T- 1:00:00**

The Prometheus sat in its usual place close to the rift's entrance its scanners still reading what it could of the rift's emissions. Unlike the Daedalus, the Prometheus was yet to receive the upgrade with Asgard scanners to replace their own Goa'uld-based scanners which meant for the moment they were less effective than the crew wished.

Close to the Prometheus itself a smaller ship was approaching the rift. The Al'kesh had been one of the ships of the Search and Rescue fleet assembled by the SGC to find the lost Achilles. It had been of the shielded subtype that were rare in the Jaffa fleet and was now being used by the Tau'ri for an experiment.

"Colonel?" General O'Neill said.

"Almost ready, Sir." The light female voice of his former 2IC spoke up from the other side of the bridge. "The Remote systems are almost set. Teal'c is setting up the other controls aboard the Al'kesh."

O'Neill nodded and opened up a link with the Jaffa Bomber. "Teal'c, how's it going?"

"Very Well General O'Neill. The remote controls are completed I am ready to ring aboard the Prometheus," The Jaffa Warrior's voice came through the speaker.

"Come right aboard. Teal'c, Carter's about ready to set this thing off anyway."

"Acknowledged."

Lt Colonel Carter returned from the rear of the bridge where the control systems were now attached to the ship's communications systems. Slipping into the Helm position she linked the two computers together and reset the Jaffa ship's controls.

"Carter?" O'Neill said, pausing only to nod at Teal'c as he approached the Command chairs. "Teal'c"

"Ready Sir, Al'kesh is on its way."

The small Jaffa spacecraft approached the Rift. The 'hole' in space was much like that of a hyperspace window and the ship's remote systems acknowledged the course changes from the Prometheus Class vessel. The ship's shields snapped on as it approached the rift, making the communication link to the Prometheus the only tether linking it to the other ships in the fleet.

The edge of the bomber's shields intersected the rift's very centre and pushed slowly into the energy barrier holding it between the two universes; the Al'kesh pushed harder and with a silent movement was transferred between the two spaces.

"Al'kesh is through, Sir."

"Status?"

"Al'kesh shields are down; however the systems and ship are fully intact. It looks safe, Sir."

"You hear that Daniel?"

Daniel Jackson's voice came through the speakers on the bridge from his place on the 'Choice' Pel'Tac.

"We heard that Jack; the Jaffa are still going through the Minbari ship. We've found several hundred survivors most seem to be ok but still unconscious. We've found a lot more dead as well, the commander of the teams are piling the injured in their cargo bays."

"Keep me informed Daniel. When we end up going through the Rift we'll have to leave you and the 'Choice' here until the arrival of the Daedalus and the other Jaffa ships."

"Got that Jack, good luck."

"Thanks Space monkey, Prometheus out."

"Sir?" Carter turned around. "Both of the alien crews have been badly hurt or totally incapacitated by the rift. While our ships can go through with no damage it's possible that the crews won't."

"The Jaffa Shields are enhanced with Ancient technology and our own are Asgard based Carter. That's a lot of power."

"I know Sir, but it's possible that it's not the energy of the rift but the change between universes."

"We've had no problems before. Carter and Me, Danny and Teal'c have all gone to other dimensions through that damned mirror."

"I'm just being cautious, Sir. We don't know what effect they will have on us or even if we have doubles there."

"It's supposed to be the future there right?"

"Yes, Sir."

"So we shouldn't have too much trouble with that Post Tide Cascade thing?"

"Entropic cascade failure Sir. We shouldn't but we can't be sure. Time may be different there and we do exist at that time."

"We'll burn that bridge when we come to it Carter."

"Aye, Sir."

**Free Jaffa Ship 'Alliance Eternal'**

**Ha'tak Class**

**Same time**

The Jaffa ship was overflowing with wounded. The 'Choice' had been the original heading for all injured they came across while aboard the Sharlin, however it had been obvious that the Jaffa ship would be overwhelmed by the hundreds of injured and dying Minbari crew.

The 'Eternal' had been seconded to damage control and support alongside its sister ship as the 'Choice' began to overflow with casualties. Even the Centauri had been pressed into service those that knew anything about first aid or just about the Minbari as a whole were used to triage the worst cases and in many cases acted as stretcher bearers for the injured Minbari.

Both ships had closed their range to the Sharlin by several thousand metres. Their ring transporters now in range of the docked cargo ships, this allowed a rapid transit of casualties from one capital ship to the other without the need to constantly dock and take off from the Minbari ship. However it did not take as long as many of the Centauri did to come around from the effects of the journey through the rift, the Minbari ship's more advanced ship taking much of the brunt of the energy from the rift. The first of the Minbari started to awaken only a few hours after being found, his rank not immediately noticeable to the humans and Jaffa.

Awakening slowly, the Minbari was unsure of where he was, seeing his brothers and sisters from the Anla'shok around him situated in rows on the floor of some unknown ship brought out the warrior instincts in the older Minbari. As he tried to clear his mind a shadow covered him causing his slowly awakening mind to explode into action.

The Minbari Ranger punched a single Jaffa attempting to check his wounds in the head sending the massive warrior to his knees where he was dropped as the Minbari activated his Denn'bok caving in the Jaffa's head killing him instantly. He swung around to find his weapon parried by another staff styled weapon of the strange aliens that held him, his moves instinctive after so many years experience that he was able to disarm yet another Jaffa and send him flying across the floor into others trying to make their way to the fight. A Zat blast caught the Minbari who dropped to the floor, the pain of the single blast enough to halt his temporary insanity and force the Minbari to hold onto his extended Denn'bok

The Minbari looked up into the face of a tall human, dark of hair and blue of eyes, his eyes obscured by some archaic contraction of wire and glass that surrounded his head and covered part of his face, obviously some ancient form of sight enhancement.

The young human was surrounded by several other Earthers covered in dark coloured uniforms and packs holding several large guns unlike any PPG or energy weapon he had seen before. Looking closely he could see brass coloured tubes on the top of each of the arm length weapons.

'Projectile Weapons?' Even the comparatively primitive Narn and Earth Alliance had given up the use of projectile weapons years ago. Why would they have started again, and what in the name of Valen was that weapon they hit him with that would cause so much pain and yet leave no mark on his body?

"Take it Easy. We're not here to hurt you."

"What did you do to my ship?"

"We didn't do anything; you were damaged by the rift."

"You fired at us."

"Yes we did. We were trying to stop you people coming through; we knew your ship wouldn't have survived intact."

"We will not tell you anything Human."

"That's ok I don't want to know anything. My name's Daniel Jackson, you are?"

"Lenonn, of the Anla'shok."

"Thank you, I have no idea what that means but at least we know who you are. You and your people are our guests. We tried to save as many of your crew as we could when we got to your ship, most of them are here, and the really bad ones are in our infirmaries."

"You are willing to help us?"

"Why wouldn't we?"

"Considering the War…"

"We're not at war with anyone Lenonn."

"You are Earthers, correct." That was a statement not a question.

"Some of us yes, the gentlemen in the armour and tattoos are not."

"They look human."

"We are Jaffa, the greatest breed of warriors in the known galaxy," one of the Jaffa Guards said as he approached.

"T'ean, this is Lenonn of the Anla'shok. Lenonn, this is T'ean of the Free Jaffa Nation Captain of this vessel."

The two warriors bowed their heads to each other, the Minbari warrior making it to his feet and retracting his staff. Balancing it on one palm he offered the surrender of his weapon to the ship's master.

"I apologise for my actions against your people Captain. The reaction was instinctive as it may be to any of my people when they come around from their slumber. I offer the surrender of my weapon so this will not happen again."

"Thank you Master Lenonn. That will be unnecessary. We are not your enemies and we do not wish to be. We shall be careful of this when awakening your people."

"I am truly sorry of what has transpired here, I will do what is necessary to give restitution to his family."

"He has no family Master Lenonn, he was the last of his line and a warrior for the Free Jaffa he will be remembered with honour."

"Nonetheless I will make restitution in his name when it is necessary."

"Then we will allow it, when and if it is needed."

"Thank you." He turned to Daniel Jackson. "However I must admit that I am curious as to your words human. We are at war with your race yet you do not fear us and do not believe yourselves to be at war with the Minbari Federation."

Daniel looked at the smaller Minbari male, his eyes studying this new alien race that had come through the rift less than a week from the arrival of the Centauri. The entire thing was going from strange to weird even for him.

**USAF Prometheus**

**T- 00:06**

"Sir all ship's systems are ready for the transfer."

"Good," O'Neill replied. "The Prometheus will go through first, the then the rest one by one. Give us five minutes between ships in case something goes wrong."

"Roger that."

"Colonel, contact the SGC tell them that we're ready to go through."

"Aye Sir," Ronson responded.

"Carter."

"Shields are at full power, Sir. We're as ready as we'll ever be."

"Put me through to Dr Jackson."

"On speaker, Sir."

"Daniel, we're ready to go."

"Ok Jack, the 'Choice' and 'Eternal' are staying behind with the Centauri and Minbari ships. We've got other Allied Ha'taks on their way so we should be good for now."

"Good luck with those Minbari, Daniel."

"You too Jack, Eternal out."

"The SGC received the message General. We're a go."

"Helm, take us in."

"Aye, Sir," the helmsman said.

The Prometheus activated its main engines and headed for the rift. Shields flared as the energy from the rift encountered the heavy duty Asgard shields surrounding the Earth-built warship.

The ship shuddered slightly as the two forces of nature pushed against each other and as before, the Prometheus was pulled into the rift and out the other side as the energy shields breached the rift. The small warship sped into the system as the engines overpowered the gravitational force of the rift.

"Report," Ronson said

"Coming in now, Sir."

"Carter?" O'Neill asked.

"I think we're through it, Sir. The shields are still active and we have hull integrity. We've made it."

"Sir, reports coming from all decks," the Comm. officer said. "No injuries and no damage."

"The Jaffa ships shouldn't have a problem coming through Sir. Their shields may take some damage but nothing that will cripple the ships."

"Send the message Lt.," O'Neill ordered the Comm. Officer. "All ships come through, five minute intervals."

"Aye, Sir."

**Earth Alliance Command Station**

**Station One**

**Earth Orbit**

**Six hours later.**

"How many?"

"We've lost the Mid-range outpost at Wolf 359 and at least three of the smaller outposts on the border. Sixty seven ships have been destroyed including most of the SWACS capable cruisers."

"Minbari Losses?"

"In the region of the same, eighty or so vessels, Sir. The fleets were all but routed by the Minbari ships."

The General sat down hard in his chair. The scanners worked but not well enough and the fact so few ships could see the Minbari ships and that the Earth ships still could not lock on properly without being inside weapons range of either ship. The spate of victories that Achilles had been all but solely responsible for had been cut off dead and with many more ships dead and now possibly a way open through an entire section of the Alliance with the fall of Wolfhound.

"Tell me we have reinforcements in the Wolfhound Sector?"

"Yes, Sir. The most recent groups of refits and the first of the fully refit scanner ships. They should work better than the others."

"What about the ECM systems?"

"The new refits have them Sir; as do the scanner based ships, but little else."

"Contact all Shipyards. We need every ship we have out there as soon as possible. Anything that has weapons armour and life support will do. Send every ship with the refit to those lines and have them attached to the remaining task forces."

"Aye, Sir."

"God help us, we can't take many more losses like this.

**This is the end of part one of Consequence of Actions. A combination of university and Real Life now has priority in my life. This fic will be continued at a later date, sometime hopefully this year, a massive thanks to Skeet for his help in betaing this thing even with his own stories in the works.**

**Insane amounts of thank yous to, Spartan, LC, Tyr, Inquisitor, Jon, and the rest of my loyal readers at to the guys at that have given me such fine reviews- thank you all.**

**Look out for Book 2 sometime later this year.**


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